Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
by Silence-Ell
Summary: Terrorism is high and Naichō has their best trying to stop it, but will it be enough? A story of angst, betrayal, and love both tragic and unrequited. Rated M for violence, language, alcohol/drug abuse, and sexual themes/activities.
1. Chapter One: A New Case

_Hello everyone! I'm back! The last several months have been hell for me, but I'm finally getting back on my feet and decided to give this story a test run. _

_The _Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office _is actually a real organization; they are the Japanese equivalent of the CIA_, _hence why they deal with international criminals and such. I didn't really feel like adding the proper measuring units for this story because it's like 5am and I want to go to bed. Also, if I have grammar errors and/or spelling errors, it's also the same reason. _

_It's rated M for a reason (for possible lemon and guaranteed violence and language)._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters._

* * *

**_Chapter One: A New Case_**

"You're late, again." Sakura stated without looking at up from where she was crouched.

"Yeah, well…" A male voice sounded sheepish behind her.

"I don't want to hear it, Kakashi," she sighed as she stood up and faced her old mentor; he wore his grey hair in a gravity defying style, as always, an eye patch covering his left eye, and a mask covering the lower portion of his face, though she didn't know why he wore it. He wore the standard police uniform, a dark blue suit with a black flak vest on top, despite the fact that he was part of the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office. "Looks like we have another murder. The Americans are not going to be happy about this one…"

"Just the one then?" Kakashi asked as he looked around; the furniture and fixtures were all knocked over, there were holes in the walls, and the windows were shattered. "Any witnesses?"

Sakura shook her head. "I'm afraid not. The security cameras were all destroyed and the footage taken."

"What about the body," he asked again, ignoring the sudden rush of inspectors that burst into the main room.

"Already at headquarters." She pulled out her digital camera and handed it to him so he could inspect the photos. "Three shots to the chest and direct trauma to the head. The suspect used the victim's laptop."

"It's messier than the last one," Kakashi stated quietly. "The victim might have had a personal attachment to him."

Sakura placed a hand on her hip and checked her phone for messages. "That, or this one fought back. Shizune is searching the body now."

"Hm." He handed back the camera and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I was a little shocked to see you here, Sakura. Normally Tsunade doesn't give you field time."

"Normally that's the case, but Naruto, Sasuke, and Lee are waiting for the American inspectors at the airport." She signaled for him to follow her to the bedroom. "I got sick of sitting in that lab so I decided to _persuade_ Tsunade to let me out tonight."

"And how did you do that?" Amusement lacing his voice.

Sakura smirked. "It's amazing what she'll do to get the key to her liquor cabinet."

Kakashi chuckled softly as they entered the room. He whistled at the size of the giant bedroom while Sakura dug in her bag and pulled out a small pair of tweezers and an evidence bag. She went over to the open window and began picking up some of the rocks off the floor, inspecting them for anything out of the ordinary. Behind her, Kakashi did the same as he searched the bed and nightstands. After a few minutes, Sakura stood and glanced at the window frame and widened her eyes slightly.

"Kakashi," she said in a hushed voice.

He came over to her side and Sakura pointed out the torn black cloth that had caught on a nail. After she put it in the bag, she pulled out her phone and quickly dialed Shizune's number, leaving Kakashi by the window.

As it rang, Sakura put the cloth in the bag, adjusted her pants, and pushed a few strands of pink hair behind her ear.

"Hello?" Shizune's soft voice answered.

"Hey, Shizune, it's me." Sakura paused for a second. "Have you found anything on the body yet?"

She huffed a little before answering in a bored tone. "Not really, just some slight bruises here and there."

_I knew it…_Sakura thought to herself. "Hmm, did you check under his nails? Maybe in his mouth?"

"Give me a second." There was a shuffling sound coming her end for a couple of minutes before she said anything again. "There's some dirt and…what the hell…"

"What is it?" Sakura asked in a slightly panicked tone.

"I just found—"

"Haruno! Hatake!" Choji's voice shouted from the bathroom.

"I'll call you back, Shizune." Sakura rushed as she closed her phone and ran with Kakashi to the bathroom.

The chubby Choji stood in front of the mirror, confusion and shock etched into his face. Kakashi entered before her and instantly went rigid, his one visible grey eye wide with horror. Sakura slipped in beside Kakashi and looked at the mirror; on it, in blood, was a drawing of a cloud.

Kakashi snapped out of his reverie and handed Sakura her camera. The air around him became serious and he quickly began barking out orders while he dialed a number on his phone.

"Sakura, take a picture of this and when you're done, check it for finger prints." His voice was solid and cold. "Choji, take some of the officers with you and check the perimeter."

"Yes, sir." Choji and Sakura voiced in unison as they followed their orders.

Sakura stood at an angle from the mirror so her image couldn't be seen in the picture; she then put the camera in her bag and pulled out a small brush and a tiny container of grey powder, and applied it to the visible fingerprints in the blood. After putting those tools away, she then pulled out a fingerprint lifting pad that was about an inch long and carefully pressed it against the print. When she lifted it, there was an exact copy of it on the tape and Sakura sealed it to the attached pad and placed it into a small bag before turning to Kakashi, who was talking on his cell phone.

"Genma," he sounded irritated. "Listen, I need you to bring up the Akatsuki files…I don't care how long it's been, just do what you're told…Damn it, Genma, if you don't pull up those fucking files I will tell Tsunade about your porn collection stashed in your desk…That's more like it."

Sakura raised an eyebrow at him. "He has a porn collection in his desk?"

He shrugged. "I was only bluffing…"

"Well, let's get to the lab." She said as she put the finger print in her bag. "I want to get a look at the body before the Americans get there."

* * *

Sasuke rolled his eyes at his partner's antics; Naruto was once again badgering him about going out to bar with him over the weekend. However, he didn't seem to realize that he didn't enjoy those environments as much as his co-workers did; Sasuke released his stress through physical training that normally left him sweaty and strained.

"Aah," Naruto started complaining again. "When will these guys get here?"

Sasuke shook his head and again smirked at his friend's choice of attire; a pair of jeans and an orange button up shirt that barely covered up the black tee-shirt underneath that had a picture of a bowl of ramen on it. Though he supposed it was better than Lee's green suit. Sasuke looked down at his own black suit and ran a hand through his blue-black hair.

He looked at his watch and sighed heavily. Though he hated to admit it, Naruto was right; the flight they were waiting for was late. He leaned against the black Range Rover and momentarily thought about what Sakura might be doing, but quickly banished those thoughts from his mind.

"Seriously, Sasuke," Naruto turned to Sasuke with a Cheshire grin on his face. "You should come with us. Sakura sometimes comes, and she wears these cute little outfits that show off her—"

Sasuke shut him up by waving him off, now wasn't the time he wanted to think about their pink haired co-worker in little outfits that showed off anything, he had to keep his mind on the job. He thought about the case that she and Kakashi were working on and a feeling of jealousy twisted his stomach, a feeling he discarded without so much as a second a thought.

Naruto's phone rang, an obnoxious American song that made Sasuke cringe, and he answered with an equally annoying greeting.

"SAKU!" He all but shouted into his phone. "Whatcha doin'?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and looked at his own phone for a moment before closing his eyes.

"Oh dude, that's not cool…" Naruto muttered. "At least you got some solid evidence. Hey, just a shot in the dark, but are you joining us at the bar on Saturday?...Awesome!...Ok, Sakura, talk to you later." Naruto put his phone away with a giant grin on his face and nudged Sasuke, who glared back. "Come on, man, you have to come, just this once."

"No." Sasuke answered, m ore irritated than ever.

"Please?" He pleaded with his hands together and his bottom lip puffed out. "If you don't have fun, I'll never bother you about it again."

Sasuke sighed in defeat. "Fine."

"Yes." Naruto fisted the air and continued to grin.

"Hey guys," Lee said enthusiastically, "they're here!"

"Finally!" Naruto shouted and the three of them stood straight as a small personal jet landed in the distance.

Sasuke quietly agreed with Naruto as the jet came closer to them and stopped at a closed terminal. Some of the workers rushed over with a staircase and lined it up with the door before it opened. Three agents came out of the plane, two well dressed males and an angry looking female with auburn hair. The three approached them, each with a similar professional demeanor.

Naruto shook hands with the eldest looking of the three first and he introduced himself with an even tone.

"I'm William," he said in English. "The man to my left is James and the lady to my right is Amy. I apologize for the delay; we had to avoid a storm on the way here."

Thankfully, both Sasuke and Naruto were both fluent in English and introduced themselves, Lee however just stood in his spot and bowed when his name was spoken. All three of the American agents paused when they looked at Lee, and the one named James seemed to be trying to hold back laughter.

"We're sorry for this," Naruto commented with a grim look on his face. "We have put our best on this case."

William inclined his head just a bit as they all entered the vehicle, with Sasuke behind the wheel, and drove away from the airport. The drive was quiet, no one seemed inclined to talk, which was fine for Sasuke. After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the Naichō headquarters, a large heavily secured building surrounded by a thick gate. As they reached the gate, Sasuke flashed his card to the guard and waited for the gate to open so he could drive through.

Moments later, Sasuke and the others were escorting the American agents into their building, passing many of their own, who stopped and stared, to the morgue. Sasuke rolled his eyes at them and continued on his path, quickly glancing into the lab, only to see Shikamaru with his face buried in a microscope.

_She must still be in the field then…_he thought to himself as they turned left and into a large elevator.

Once they were all in the elevator, Lee pressed the button for the floor with the morgue in it and it shook slightly as it began its decent. After a few seconds, the door opened behind them and they all exited into a long, white hallway. As they walked, their footsteps echoed down the corridor and it wasn't long before they could hear water running and the sound of two women talking. The hallway instantly opened up into a large room with three metal beds in the center, a sink and shelf of surgical tools on one side, and two walls with freezers lining them.

Cleaning off the recently used metal bed was the dark haired Shizune wearing a white lab jacket and Sakura, who wore a similar jacket and her beautiful pink hair in a ponytail, was at the sink washing her hands. Shizune was the first to look up and notice them enter, but she just smiled and straightened up. Sakura turned and quickly rushed to greet them, her hands help up by her head.

"Ah, you must be the American agents," She spoke in flawless English and ignored the shocked looks the agents gave her. "I'm Sakura Haruno, I would shake your hands, but they haven't been sanitized yet." The three nodded, but said nothing. "The body is in the freezer and if you'd like, I can give you a copy of the evidence we have collected."

"That would be greatly appreciated," William inclined his head.

Sakura turned to Shizune and spoke in Japanese. "Can you open the freezer for them?"

Shizune nodded; she only spoke a little English and didn't mind not having to deal with the other agents. She walked over to the freezer behind her and opened up a door in the middle row and slid out the body of an older man; the side of his head was heavily damaged and pale skin seemed to be covered in dark bruises. Sakura took Shizune's place and pulled down the sheet, covering his body, and rested it on his hips.

"As you can see, his head was hit with a blunt object, which happened to be his laptop; we believe that to be the cause of his death." She pointed out three bullet wounds in his chest. "These here were shot after his death and were shot fairly close to the victim."

William nodded, studying the body closely.

Sasuke looked up at Sakura and saw how her delicate pink brows twitched slightly when she pulled up his hands and her eyes flickered to meet his own gaze, and he instantly dropped his gaze back to the body.

"As you can see, his nails are chipped and some fingers are broken." She set his hand down carefully and opened his mouth. "He is also missing some teeth. He must have put up quite a fight…"

"If you don't mind," William said in a monotone, "I'd like to perform an autopsy on this body while we are here."

"By all means," Sakura nodded and put the sheet back over the body before sliding him back into the freezer. "Now, if you'll just give me one second, I'll clean up and we can head to the lab and we can go over the evidence we gathered at the scene. Tomorrow we'll visit the scene of the crime so we can go over it together, if you'd like."

William nodded again and Sakura walked over to the sink, her heels clicking against the tile floor loudly. She washed her hands momentarily and took off her white jacket, revealing a thin red button up shirt that hugged her slim waist and chest and tucked into her black chic Larisa pants, which only he recognized because he went with her to buy them, and he remembered them being ridiculously expensive. He averted his gaze when he saw how those pants fit so snuggly to her shapely ass and looked over at James, who was openly checking her out. Sasuke decided then that he didn't like James.

Sakura hung her jacket on a hook beside the sink and whipped around, her long pink tresses swing around her head in the process. She walked past them and led the way back to the elevator. Sasuke stood beside her, and her hips brushed against his hand as she leaned forward to press the main floor button, and he went rigid when she bumped him from the elevator shaking.

"We should get that looked at," Naruto mumbled to himself, but Lee laughed out at the comment, causing Amy to jump and hug the bar she had been leaning against.

The doors opened and everyone rushed out and Sakura continued to lead the way to the lab. Shikamaru was still standing at the microscope when they entered the quiet room; Sakura tapped on his shoulder and he looked up, his expression bored as always.

"What do you have?" Sakura asked him in a kind tone.

He sighed and hit a few keys on the computer attached to the microscope, bringing up a photo of what he had been looking at on a large screen against the wall. Everyone's attention went to the blue substance it was showing.

"These are the skin cells that we found under the victim's nails," Sakura stated. "We ran some tests and the blue pigmentation is only ink; our suspect had large portions of his skin tattooed blue. We also found the victim's blood on the mirror in the bathroom drawn in the shape of a cloud."

"A cloud?" Amy asked, skeptical.

"Yes." Sakura nodded. "Naruto, can you find Kakashi and ask him to bring me the copy of the victim's file, please?"

Naruto nodded and rushed out of the door, glad to be out of the lab.

"Have you identified the suspect?" James asked, his eyes still taking in Sakura's appearance.

Sakura smiled and turned to the computer and pulled up a picture of their suspect, a blue skinned man with gill tattoos under his eyes and white contacts in. "His name is Kisame Hoshigaki, a member of the terrorist organization known as the Akatsuki; their symbol being a red cloud." Sakura brought the other files on the screen as she went through the list of the members. "There are seven known members, though there are believed to be more; each just as deadly as the last. There is Kisame himself, our primary suspect. Deidara, an explosive expert. Sasori Akasuna, a mass murderer from Iran. Hidan, a Jashinist, a religion that requires human sacrifices. Kakuzu, a man who rips open the chests of his victims and rips out their still beating hearts. Zetsu, a man with a severe case of multi-personality disorder and schizophrenia." Sakura took up a deep breath and looked Sasuke, who grew more agitated by each second that passed by, in the eyes before bringing up the last file. "And then there is Itachi Uchiha, a man who slaughtered his family in one night…leaving one survivor."

The Americans turned their heads to Sasuke, who glared daggers at the picture of his older brother. Thankfully, Naruto entered the room at that moment, the file in his hands and gave it to William, who instantly opened and thumbed through pictures of the scene, evidence, victim, and copies of their test results, suspect, and the files on the other members of the Akatsuki.

"Naruto," Sakura looked to her friend, her voice an octave higher than normal, "can you take them to Kakashi? He can fill you all in about everything else."

Naruto nodded, pouting slightly for having to go back to where he just came from. Once they were all out of the lab, Sakura minimized the files and walked up to Sasuke, taking his hands into her own. Sasuke barely felt her warm hands in his, his eyes still glued to the screen, though his brother's picture was no longer up there. He knew his eyes were burning with rage and his skin was on fire. So, he stormed out of the lab and to the stairs, Sakura hot on his heels.

"Sasuke," She called after him as he took each step two at time. "Sasuke, wait."

Sasuke stopped before he reached the landing for the second floor. He felt hands wrap around his waist and Sakura's head rest between his shoulder blades.

"Sasuke," she spoke softly into his shirt. "I know it's hard, and I'm here for you. You don't have to be alone…"

Sasuke didn't talk or move for several moments, but rather enjoyed the feeling of Sakura pressed against him in such a comfortable way. He could feel her heart beat on his back and he slowed his heart of match it and dropped his head slightly; he was too tired to fight her right now, so he gave her this one victory.

The silence between the two was disturbed by the sound of Sakura's phone vibrating in her pocket. Sasuke heard her huff in annoyance, a sound he couldn't help but smirk at, and let him go to answer it. He turned around the moment she let him and watched the emotions spread over her beautiful face.

"Hello?" Her voice dripped with irritation. "Yes, this is her."

In the next second, Sasuke watched the blood drain from her face and she dropped her phone with a loud thud. Her breathing became labored and she seemed to be lost in a world of her own.

"Sakura?" Sasuke asked, concern shaking his voice slightly, just slightly. "Sakura, what is it?"

She looked up at him, her emerald eyes shimmering with tears that were already streaming down her cheeks. She shook her head and began backing down the stairs slowly. Sasuke picked up her phone off the floor and followed Sakura.

"Who was it, Sakura?" He repeated himself again, something he really hated doing.

"It's my mom…" She said her voice quiet and broken. "She's…she's…"

* * *

_I apologize if it sucked. My sleep deprived mind came up with this while listening to Warrior's Dance by Prodigy. _

_Please Read and Review so I can decide to continue with the story or not._

_With Love and Gratitude,_

_~Ell  
_


	2. Chapter Two: My Catalyst

_I do not own any of the Naruto characters._

* * *

_**Chapter Two: My Catalyst**_

Time seemed to have slowed as she sat in the hall of the ICU, her head in her hands. She felt so numb; her eyes were raw from crying and her throat sore from the sobs that wracked her body. She barely registered that Naruto had an arm around her shoulder and Ino was on the other side, resting her head on Sakura's shoulder, or that Kakashi and Tsunade were talking to the doctor down the hall.

She lifted her head and looked at the small ring in her hand; she rolled it around between her fingers, the emerald in the center of a circle of diamonds shimmering in the light and the engraving on the slim silver band caught her eye momentarily before she slipped it back on her finger and looked back up at the nurses that busied themselves behind the desk.

Everything just seemed so surreal, like her being in this hospital was all just a dream. She kept thinking that she was going to wake up any second now and her mother was going to be right beside her, whispering comforting words to calm her down. That thought alone would have brought on another wave of tears were her eyes not so dry, so her body just shook and another sob ripped from her mouth.

Sasuke's feet appeared in her line of vision and Sakura looked up at him. He wasn't one to share in other people's pain, or to even care for that matter, but there was something in his eyes that told her to be strong as he placed a chilled bottle of water in her hands. His fingers lingered on her own for just a moment before he dropped his hands and looked into the room behind her; the body had already been moved and nurses were changing the bedding and sanitizing everything.

Tsunade and Kakashi joined them after a few minutes, their faces grim as they looked at Sakura. The doctor continued on his way, he stopped to talk to nurses along the way, a smile on his face as he did so. Sakura frowned at the man as he left her line of vision and glared holes into the doors he went through. She knew Tsunade was talking, but didn't listen to what she was saying and allowed her friends to pick her up and walk her out of the ICU, down the hall, and out of the hospital.

She was placed in back seat of her own car; Naruto was behind the wheel and Ino took the passenger's seat, leaving her beside Sasuke, who wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to his side.

Sakura was so tired; she felt that she hadn't slept in days. She closed her burning eyes for a moment and listened to only Sasuke's heart beat, the constant rhythm lulled her into a state of contentment. Sasuke would grip her tightly when Naruto would take a turn too sharply or when he hit a bump, to keep her still and peaceful against him and she knew she was safe and loved by her dear friends.

* * *

Tsunade rested her head against her car and ran a hand through her long blond hair. She heaved a heavy sigh and glanced over at Kakashi, who merely stared at the sky. She felt helpless that she couldn't help Sakura this moment, and wanted nothing more than to tell those American agents to fuck off and comfort the girl.

"She's so young," Tsunade muttered.

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "She has her friends at her side, to help her."

They sat in silence for a little bit longer, the sun was beginning to drop behind the horizon, darkening the sky. Tsunade knew Sakura was strong enough to come out of this on her feet, but she also knew how close she and her mother had been. She sighed and looked up at the sky.

"I suppose I'll give Sakura some time off," She said more to herself. "It will give her time to organize the funeral and she'll be able to focus once she comes back to work. I'll have to take over tomorrow for the autopsy…"

"What about Sasuke?" Kakashi asked simply.

"Hm?" She looked at him curiously.

He sighed and turned to her, seriousness etched into his features. "This case may cloud his judgment; his brother is, after all, a member of the Akatsuki."

Tsunade nodded in agreement. "You're right and we can't have him running off, endangering himself and other officers. All right then, he will have to take some time off as well. Perhaps he can help Sakura and keep her company…"

Kakashi grunted in agreement and stretched out. "What do you think the Akatsuki are up to now?"

Tsunade's features grew grim and she spoke quietly. "I don't know, but we have to stop them." She dropped her arms and huffed loudly. "I need a drink."

Kakashi chuckled at her comment and silently agreed.

* * *

Sakura woke to the sound of her television playing a rather loud commercial about soda. She blinked several times and rubbed her aching head. She didn't remember much from last night, since Naruto took it upon himself to heat up the last of Sakura's sake and serving it to everyone. She recalled Ino and Naruto taking a taxi home, but she didn't remember if Sasuke had or not.

She stretched and pulled the blanket off of herself before slipping off the couch and trudging to her kitchen. There were cups scattered across the sink and spilt sake on her counter, at least she hoped it was sake. Sakura ignored the mess for now and began filling her latte machine with her caramel vanilla mix, added some water, and turned it on. Stretching again, she headed to her bathroom, figuring she had enough time to wash up.

She noted that the door was closed, but didn't think much of it, so she swung the door open and entered it without a second thought. When she looked up, she saw Sasuke standing before, her green towel wrapped around his waist and water dripping from his black hair and onto his sculpted chest. Sakura felt her face grow red when his eyes collided with hers; alarms were going off in her head telling her to exit the bathroom, but she remained rooted to her spot.

Pink dusted Sasuke's face and he lowered his head slightly. Sakura suddenly stood completely straight and turned around, facing the door.

"I…I'm sorry. I didn't know you were still here," Sakura mentally chastised herself for stuttering.

Sasuke laughed behind her and set a hand on her shoulder. "It alright, Sakura. Don't be embarrassed."

A jolt of electricity, or what felt like electricity, went through Sakura the moment Sasuke touched her and she bit her lip to stop herself from yelping in surprise. Sakura rested her head on the door and gripped the door frame to prevent falling when he spoke again.

"It's not like you haven't seen a naked man before," he chuckled again.

"Well none were as…" _Hot? Sexy? _Sakura groaned and thought about the fact that she had only had one sexual encounter in her life and it was such a drunken haze, not to mention a huge mistake.

She felt herself get turned around and Sakura instantly closed her eyes, already knowing her face had probably invented a new shade of red. She tried to drop her head, to hide her already embarrassed face, but Sasuke lifted her chin up with his fingers.

"Sakura, look at me," his voice was soft and pleading; Sakura obeyed and met his smoldering onyx eyes. "Why don't you take a shower and I will make breakfast for the both of us."

Sakura didn't trust her voice, so she merely nodded and moved to the side so he could exit the bathroom, his clothes in arms. Once she was alone, Sakura leaned against the door and pressed her hands to her face, feeling how warm it was, she glanced at the fogged mirror for a second before swiping her hand across it and gasping in horror at her reflection. Her large eyes were deeply bloodshot and puffy from crying and her hair was a mess! She was a mess! And Sasuke saw her like this!

_Oh my god_. Sakura whimpered to herself and turned away from the mirror.

* * *

Sasuke tossed the discarded towel in the hamper inside of the laundry room and ran a hand through his hair. His smirk was still placed on his face after the incident in the bathroom, the look on her beautiful face was priceless and he found her reaction unbearably adorable, but he wouldn't let anyone know about it.

He walked into her kitchen and instantly opened her fridge to see what she had and frowned a bit when he saw that all she had was a jug of milk and random condiments on the door. He came to the conclusion that Sakura spent most of her time at work, so she would naturally only eat take out, or have dinner at her mother's every evening. That thought made him realize that Sakura had relied on her mother for not just guidance and food, but friendship as well and her death would harm her more than he had thought.

His phone began to vibrate in his pocket and Sasuke let out an annoyed huff. When he looked at the id, he saw that it was none other than Kakashi…he narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Yes, Kakashi?" His voice was bored when he answered it.

"Yeah, Sasuke," Kakashi's voice seemed to be a little bit too amused for his comfort. "I'm just calling to let you know that both you and Sakura have off for the next week. Mostly, it's so you can keep an eye on her while she prepares for the funeral. I tried calling her phone, but she didn't answer."

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's because she's in the shower."

"You…you're there? With her?" Kakashi seemed taken aback.

"Yes. I stayed the night here with her." Sasuke was beginning to get very annoyed. "Thank you for telling me, Kakashi."

"Right," Kakashi seemed to stumble over his words for a moment. "Ah, you're welcome."

"Bye." He hung up his phone, slipped it into his pocket, and closed the fridge door.

He took a deep breath and walked back to the bathroom and knocked on the door. Sasuke heard the water shut off and Sakura swear slightly when something crashed into the tub.

"Sakura," he waited for her response. "Sakura, are you ok?"

"Yeeeah." She her voice sound muffled.

"I was thinking we could go out for breakfast," he waited for a response, but only heard a whimper from the other side. "Are you sure you're ok? Do you need me to come in?"

"No!" Sakura almost shouted. "No, no. I'm fine. We can go out if you'd like."

Sasuke smiled slightly when he heard whisper something inaudible repeatedly.

* * *

Naruto sighed loudly when he leaned back in his chair. Today was slow; most of the people were in the lab desperately trying to locate the Akatsuki, Tsunade was downstairs performing an autopsy on the body with one of the American agents, while Kakashi took the other two to the scene of the crime.

It was still the morning and there wasn't even any paper work to do. Naruto groaned; he couldn't pick on Sasuke because he had a week off and Lee was off doing some errands so he would stop annoying everyone.

"Eeeeh," Naruto wailed and dropped his head onto his desk.

"Hey, Naruto." Someone said from his door.

He looked up and saw both Kiba and Akamaru, a giant white dog with a floppy pink tongue hanging out his massive mouth, standing there. Kiba wore his typical jeans and work coat and his shaggy brown hair was loose and as unkempt as ever, and the scars on his face seemed brighter today than normal. There was mischievous grin on Kiba's face, meaning he was mostly likely up to something.

"Uh oh," Naruto said without thinking. "What are you up to now?"

"Nothing bad," He replied, his grin getting bigger. "I'm just going to go shoot off a couple of rounds, did you want to join me?"

Naruto looked at him for a moment before a huge grin broke out across his face. "What the hell, why not?"

Kiba laughed and slapped his back when he reached him. "That's the spirit!"

As they walked down the hall, they saw Tenten rush towards them, her brown eyes large with what appeared to be shock.

"You guys wouldn't believe what I just saw," she said a little faster than she normally would have.

Naruto and Kiba both put up their guards and readied to rush out the doors.

"I was getting coffee this morning and I saw both Sakura and Sasuke having breakfast together," she held out her hands as if to steady herself from falling. "And _Sasuke_ was _smiling_."

Naruto blinked at her, dumbfounded. "You're right, I don't believe you."

"But they really were eating together. I even took a picture of it." Sure enough, Tenten whipped out her phone showed them both a picture of Sakura sitting across from Sasuke, their hands touching in a seemingly innocent way, looking into each other's eyes, smiling…both of them.

"Holy shit, dude," Kiba deadpanned. "You have to send that to my phone."

Naruto remained still as the photo was forever burned into his memory. He was shocked that Sasuke had actually done what Naruto had always teased him about, something he thought Sasuke would never do. It was painfully obvious to everyone that Sakura liked Sasuke a lot, but only Naruto knew how strongly Sasuke felt about her and that was only because they had been friends since they were both infants; even though they had a very strong rivalry growing up.

Kiba snickered when he received the photo. "Ino is going to die of jealousy when she sees this."

And there it was, Kiba's evil deed of the day. In a few minutes, almost the entire building had the picture of those two and staring in disbelief at their phones.

Kiba and Naruto, with Akamaru on their heels, continued down the hall and to the elevator. When they reached the bottom floor, they exited the elevator and walked into a large room with thick bullet proof glass windows and one wall covered in various guns.

* * *

Kakashi watched the two American agents walk around the crime scene, bored out of his mind. He was slightly annoyed when they insisted he take them here, but he had to obey Tsunade's orders. This gave him a chance to roam each room silently and carefully; assessing every inch of the rooms for something they might have missed earlier.

He searched under the beds and tested the floor for a secret hatch, knocked on the walls and thoroughly checked each closet. Kakashi was at his wits end until he reached the basement and saw pictures scattered across the floor; he picked one up and instantly recognized their victim, badly beaten but alive.

Quickly, Kakashi gathered the other photos and looked at each of them. They were all taken when the victim was alive and in each one he had a different wound…they must have been taking pictures along the way…

Kakashi lowered the pictures and remembered that Choji had said that he checked the basement and there wasn't anything down here but boxes of junk. Surely he would have noticed these pictures just lying on the ground…

He pulled out his cell phone and instantly began dialing Tsunade's number, hoping he answered her phone.

"I hope this is important, Hatake," She snapped on the other line.

"Trust me, it is," he rushed. "I just searched the basement of the crime scene and I found a bunch of photos on the ground. The photos are of the victim when he was alive and being beaten and they weren't here yesterday!"

Tsunade was silent on the other line.

"They returned to the scene of the crime," he continued. "Which means they are still in the area. We need to dispatch units and check all of the street cameras in this area for last night and early this morning."

"Right, I'll send out the order now." She responded automatically. "Stay safe."

Kakashi hung up the phone and bolted up the stairs to inform the Americans, but once he got up there, he didn't see either of them. He searched the house and around the perimeter and still couldn't find them. He pulled out his gun and cautiously reentered the house. He checked each corner and made sure his shadow never gave away his position as he snuck through the house, hoping that his assumptions about these agents were wrong.

When he neared the bathroom, he heard the floor creak just a little bit. Kakashi looked at one of the shards of glass on the floor, from a picture frame leaning against the wall, and saw the reflection of James with a gun pointed at him. As quickly as he could, Kakashi whipped around and grabbed the hand James was holding his gun with, putting enough pressure on his wrist to hear the bone snap and have him drop to his knees with a whimper. In one fluid motion, Kakashi used the butt end of his gun to knock him out. Quickly, he disarmed James of any and all weapons he possessed and locked his wrists together using a zip tie before going on the search for Amy.

He continued down his path, more quietly now. He wasn't sure who these people were, but he sure as hell knew they weren't agents from America. He reached the bedroom where the victim was found and saw her smoothing out the sheets as if she were looking for something. He quickly approached her and held his gun between her shoulder blades, causing her to go rigid.

"Hands up," he ordered in a gruff tone, none too happy about being deceived.

She obeyed and raised her hands slowly; Kakashi grabbed her right hand and twisted it behind her back, not caring to be gentle, and used a zip tie to hold it to the other one. He grabbed the back of her jacket and roughly moved her towards the door and out into the main room where he dropped her onto the couch and pointed his gun at her.

"Who are you?" He asked her in a sharp tone. "And if you lie to me again, I will shoot both of your knee caps."

Amy glared at him with her hazel eyes, but said nothing.

Kakashi growled and pressed the barrel of his gun against her temple. "Tell me who you are and who you work for or I will squeeze this trigger."

Amy's façade broke and her eyes darted nervously to the gun.

"My name is Kari." Her voice dropped an octave from what it had been and she now had a middle-eastern accent. "And I work for Orochimaru."

* * *

Sasuke dropped on his couch. It had been a long day spending time with Sakura. He enjoyed himself immensely, but he regretted making her go grocery shopping so soon because she had broke down in one of the aisles. It had caused quite a spectacle at the store, what with all of the people stopping and staring at them and Sakura muttering something about not being able to cook.

He would have stayed with her again tonight, but she assured him she would be fine and that she would be going to see her mom's lawyer to settle the will and what will happen to her mother's house. Sakura also mentioned something about having to talk with the funeral home and having to buy a coffin, headstone, and other effects as well.

Sasuke looked out his window and saw the afternoon sun reflecting off his car and sighed. He hadn't really had anything planned for a weeklong vacation. He supposed he could change his clothes, call up Sakura, and ask if she would join him for dinner…Would that mean he was asking her out on a date? Right after her mother died? Sasuke shook his head and decided against it. The woman was entitled to spend some time alone and look through old photos of her childhood. He paused for a moment, remembering that he had burned all of the pictures of his family when he was younger…

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Well, he had been meaning to go through his basement and throw out a bunch of crap that had been piling up. Sasuke huffed and pushed himself off the couch and headed to his room to change his clothes; he quickly discarded his clothes into the hamper and threw on an old shirt and a pair of ripped jeans.

Sasuke stretched his muscles a bit before heading into his basement and into the mess he had allowed to grow over the years. He looked at the wall of boxes before him and scratched the back of his head, unsure where to start, but decided to start with a box labeled 'Christmas'. Sasuke didn't really celebrate the holiday, so he didn't see a need to have it.

_**Two hours later…**_

Sasuke stood up from his crouched position and stretched. His muscles were sore from sorting through half of the boxes; most of them being various holiday decorations, old clothes, books, his dad's collection of sake bottles, and his mother's doll collection that freaked him out too much. A few more boxes and he would probably call it quits for today, so he grabbed a smaller looking box, which was actually quite light, and set it on the ground.

He cut the tape with a knife and folded the panels over to reveal sheathed katana. Sasuke furrowed his brow and unsheathed the weapon and ran his finger along the blade, which was oddly sharp. He set it aside and pulled out a black folded cloth; once unfolded it revealed the symbol of the Uchiha name and nothing more, so Sasuke set it aside. The only thing left in the box was a small wooden chest with gold key hole. Sasuke rolled his eyes as he took the chest with out of the basement and into his garage to get a hammer and screw driver. He stuck the screw driver inside of the key hole, wiggling it around until it stuck in one place and smashed the end of it with the hammer, breaking the chest open. Sasuke set the tools aside and opened the now broken chest only to freeze the moment he saw its contents.

Inside the box were several pictures of Sakura; many from when she was in high school, some from college, and a few from when she was really little. The shots seemed to be taken from a distance, through windows and bushes; one looked like it was taken from a tree. She seemed unaware that these pictures were being taken of her, since she was preoccupied in most of them.

Sasuke dumped the pictures out onto his work station and stopped short when he spotted where she was changing in her room, completely naked and going through her dresser. He saw another where she was sitting on her couch reading a book. He shuffled through the pictures and stopped short when one caught his eye; he picked it up and his heart skipped a beat. This particular picture was of both of them at the coffee shop they had visited earlier and they were both looking at each other with smiles on their faces…

* * *

_Dun dun dun!_

_So, who do you think took those photos and why? I'm curious to know what you guys think. _

_Also, thank you for the reviews, they encouraged me to continue on with this story. I have most of the big events planned out, but I have to fill in the gaps...kinda like what I ended up doing here lol_

_Please read and review!_

_With love and gratitude,_

_~Ell  
_


	3. Chapter Three: Obsession

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters._

* * *

_**Chapter Three: Obsession**_

Naruto bolted out the doors of the elevator, the alarms going off in the building startling him and sending him into panic mode. He saw that everyone on the main level was just as surprised as he was, so he assumed no one knew why the alarm was tripped. He took off towards the lab, hoping that Shikamaru was still in there.

"Shika," Naruto all but shouted and startled the man who had been sitting in front of a series of computer screens. "What the hell is going on!"

"Tch," he groaned. "Security breech. Apparently the 'agents' you guys brought here weren't actually who they said they were. Did you guys even check their identification?"

That question made Naruto stop short; he felt his face fall and he slapped his forehead in embarrassment. "No…"

Shikamaru shook his head. "Just be lucky it was only three of them. Tsunade had 'William' arrested and he is being contained until Ibiki gets here. Kakashi has the other two, one unconscious with a broken wrist and the other he is still questioning."

Naruto just slouched and dropped his head.

"If I were you," his voice went back to being bored and annoyed, "I'd take one of the cruisers to Kakashi so the other two can come back here."

He nodded and walked out of the lab, already knowing he was in trouble with Tsunade. At least he wasn't alone in the punishment; Lee and Sasuke were just as guilty as he was. Naruto walked into the call center and grabbed one of the keys off of the hooks without and without being noticed by anyone, he slipped out of the doors. Lee was running up to him from the parking lot, his already large eyes bulging out of his skull.

"What's going on, Naruto?" His voice was raised slightly.

"I'll explain later," Naruto kept moving and Lee followed him. "Right now, I need you to come with me."

Lee nodded and hopped into the passenger seat of the Range Rover that Naruto had chosen and they drove off towards the house Kakashi had said he was going to earlier. While on the way there, Naruto explained to Lee what had happened and told him that they were both in "deep shit".

"Ooooh," Lee responded and stared at the dash board, not too keen on small talk anymore.

As Naruto weaved through traffic and avoided many of the lights and major intersections, he noticed how rigid Lee had gotten and saw beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

"Lee, are you ok?" He asked in a semi-concerned voice.

Lee looked at him with slightly panicked eyes. "What if there were more people on the plane? We left when we only saw the three…"

Naruto's eyes widened slightly. Lee was right, and now there was a strong possibility that there were more of these people around. Without another thought, Naruto whipped out his cell phone and dialed Kakashi's number.

* * *

Kakashi looked down at Kari and sighed. She hadn't really cooperated with him or even told him anything, even after he had hit her a couple of times. The only other option was to tell her what Ibiki would do to her for the information and hope she would tell him what he needed to know.

"Kari," his voice was low and unthreatening, "there is part of our government that we prefer to keep secret from civilians because this particular department uses certain…_methods_ to get information out of people who do not cooperate with us. So, you can either tell me what I want to know now, or you can find out for yourself just what kind of methods we _really_ use."

Kakashi watched the emotions that danced in her eyes; disbelief, uncertainty, fear, and finally, defeat. He had won.

She sighed heavily. "He doesn't really tell us much, he just told us to intercept the Americans, kill the agents, and pose as them. We were to get passed our security and gather files on some of your agents…mostly Uchiha. And possibly some Intel on the Akatsuki."

Kakashi's head perked up. "Uchiha? Why him?"

She shook her head and tears started coming down her face. "I don't know…he said something about needing him because he couldn't get his brother. Please don't kill me…everything would have worked out fine if James would have listened to me. He said you were getting suspicious and that our covers would be blown…"

Her ramble was cut short do to Kakashi's phone vibrating; he looked at it and saw that it was just Naruto.

"Yes?" He said impatiently, ignoring Kari as she repeated over and over again that she didn't want to die.

"Kakashi, listen," his voice sounded uneasy, "Lee pointed out that since we only saw the three come out of the plane, that there could be more. Those three could have been just a distraction for us…"

"Right," Kakashi glanced at the woman on the couch who had her head between her knees. "I have to get back to you…" Kakashi hung up and knelt beside Kari. He pushed her up and looked at her tear stained face, her hazel eyes bloodshot from her crying. "Kari, I need to answer this question for me, it's very important that you tell me the truth."

She looked at him and nodded.

Kakashi took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Were there more people on the plane than just you three?"

Kari squeezed her eyes shut; causing more tears to stream out her eyes and cling to her eyelashes, and nodded stiffly.

* * *

Sakura stood up from her spot on the couch, shut the television off, and stretched her lazy muscles. She was feeling restless tonight and had some energy to burn off, so she walked to her room and pulled out her jogging clothes; a pair of tight spandex mini shorts and small red tank top. She began to strip from the clothes she had worn today and tossed them on top of the hamper; she unsnapped her bra, knowing how uncomfortable it is to run in a wire bra, and replaced it with a black sports bra before donning the rest of the outfit.

She approached her dresser and slipped her pulse monitor over her hand and secured it tightly on her wrist. Sakura then slid her black hip pack over to her and placed her badge in it along with her wallet, a flashlight, and her gun, after checking the ammo in it and pairing it with an extra magazine. Once everything was in the pack, she wrapped it around her waist and secured it when she felt it rest on the small of her back, and then slipped on her running shoes.

Sakura walked out of her room when she had her mp3 player and its arm strap in her hand and began securing it in place while walking out of her home. As she shut the door behind her, she grabbed the spare key she kept hidden between her house and the porch light and locked her door. Placing the key back in its secret spot, she put her ear buds in and turned on her running playlist; the sound of drums being pounded on filled her head and she began stretching all the necessary muscles before taking off down the dark, quiet street and not looking back.

* * *

Sasuke pressed harder on the gas as he sped through town, not caring that he was driving well above the speed limit. He pressed his phone to his ear and listened to Sakura's phone ring until it reached voicemail for the third time. He hung up and slammed his fist into his steering wheel, the panic was setting in and he couldn't stop it; he needed to know she was safe.

After a few more minutes of careless driving and frustrated swearing, Sasuke arrived at Sakura's house. Her car was in the drive way, but the windows were dark; he parked his car behind hers grabbed his gun, just in case.

The closer he walked to her door, the more the apprehension grew. He froze when he saw that her front door was cracked open and frowned. Sasuke held his gun tighter and approached the door; he opened it slowly, careful not to let it creak. It was dark inside, so he waited until his eyes adjusted before entering the house. He reached her kitchen first and saw her phone sitting on the counter, along with a picture of her and her mother standing underneath a small waterfall. He turned around and checked around the corner before he continued on to her bedroom.

He stopped short when the floor board creaked behind him, but before he could turn around, something hard collided with his head and he felt himself hit the floor. He could hear feet shuffling around him and hands circling around his arms to lift him onto feet that wouldn't cooperate. His head was fuzzy and everything seemed to be spinning at an uncontrollable rate. He felt himself being dropped onto Sakura's couch and tried to look around, but his eyes wouldn't focus on anything.

"Now, there was no need to be so rough with him, Zaku." A low and rough voice said in calm, but dangerous tone.

He heard a male voice mumble something and hands hold him down onto the couch. Sasuke blinked several times, but his eyes could only make out the form of a dark figure in corner, holding a picture in his hands.

His head was ripped to the side and he felt a sharp pinch enter his skin. Something cool was forced into his blood stream and his head began to swim. His breathing hitched as he tried to think of what was just injected into his blood stream. He was mildly aware of someone letting go him, but he was too busy trying to focus on the man in the corner, but his image seemed to shrink.

"Wh…who are you? What…did you…put…" Sasuke's voice sounded weak and quiet to him and he flinched. "Where's Sa…Sakura?"

"My name is Dosu Kinuta," he replied coolly. "My friends here are Kin Tsuchi and Zaku Abumi. Don't worry about what was put in you; you will be fine in the morning."

Sasuke's eyes fluttered and his head dropped a little, he was losing consciousness, or what felt like it. He knew he needed to fight this and find out what they had done with Sakura…but no part of his body responded and he began to fidget.

"What hav…what have you done with Sakura?" He demanded.

He heard a woman's voice cackle behind him and she yanked on his hair roughly; his body followed the movement . "We haven't done anything to your little girlfriend."

"Now, Kin, he is just worried for her wellbeing," Dosu chastised her. "Unfortunately, she isn't here right now."

_She's not here? Then, maybe she is ok…_Sasuke thought in relief, but these people were still in her house. Things began to spin out of control and he gripped the couch tightly to try and steady himself.

"What are you doing in her house?" He asked, in a slightly more stable voice.

"Ah," Dosu made a sound of satisfaction. "Waiting for you, of course. We planted those pictures in your house, Sasuke, and we knew you would come here."

"And if you wouldn't have come here tonight," Zaku said in a malicious tone, "we would have had to_ subdue _her and persuade you to come over."

Sasuke growled at Zaku, and he attempted to stand, but his leg just twitched.

Dosu shifted slightly and set the picture face down on the end table. "I bring you a message from my boss, Orochimaru."

* * *

Naruto parked in the drive way of the crime scene, behind the vehicle Kakashi must have driven here, and bolted inside with Lee at his side and guns ready. When they entered the house, they saw Kakashi standing in front of the woman, who was sobbing on the couch, and he looked up at them with surprise.

"What are you guys doing here?" He asked loudly, trying to be heard over a particularly loud wail from the woman.

"Shikamaru suggested that I—" He stopped walking towards Kakashi when the unconscious body of "James" was lying in the hallway. "Is he out?"

Kakashi nodded. "He needs medical attention, but not so badly that he needs it immediately."

Naruto smirked. "Has she given any information?"

"Yes." Kakashi frowned. "Kari said that there were three other people on the plane with them. She couldn't give names, because she didn't know them."

Naruto nodded and looked over to Lee, who was fixated on the crying woman on the couch.

"She said something about getting information on Sasuke," Kakashi continued. "Naruto, why don't you call him, just to make sure he's ok."

Naruto nodded and pulled his phone out to call Sasuke. He listened to it ring several times before it went to voicemail; Naruto looked up at Kakashi and shook his while he hung up.

"He didn't answer." He said quietly.

"Try Sakura." Kakashi said automatically. "He was with her most of the day, they might be together."

He tried calling Sakura, but he got her voicemail too. "Neither of them are answering their phones."

Kakashi sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Why don't you go to Sakura's to see if she's home; she lives closer. They might be asleep…or something."

Naruto heard the last part and cocked his head to the side. "Kakashi, Sasuke might be a jackass, but he would _never_ take advantage of Sakura." _I hope._

"Lee," Kakashi snapped him out of whatever daze he had been in. "Would you help get these two into the car so we can head back?"

Lee nodded and ran over to the unconscious body on the floor. Naruto headed out the door, to the Rover, and backed out of the driveway. He took a shortcut to Sakura's house from this neighborhood and went a little faster than he should have been going. He only hoped that they were both ok, and not doing what Kakashi had implied.

After several minutes, Naruto finally reach Sakura's house and saw both of their vehicles in the driveway. He parked in front of the house next to the curb and noticed that the door was open and the lights were off; either they had left the door open in a fit of passion, or…well, Naruto only hoped it wasn't _that_. Still though, he grabbed his gun from the center council and approached the door cautiously.

"Sakura? Sasuke?" He called out into the darkness, unable to see a damn thing.

He had reached her kitchen when he heard someone move behind him and he raised him weapon, but it was knocked out of his hands and something hit him hard on the head. The last thing he saw was his gun being kicked away from him before his vision blackened and the world went quiet…

* * *

Sakura was exhausted, beyond that even! Her body was aching for her to stop moving, but she just had to make it to her driveway to beat her own personal record; she had gone twice as far as she normally does and in the same amount of time. Her mp3 player had died while running, so it was in her pack now and the band was still squeezing her bicep.

A smile crossed her face because she went above her own expectations, despite recent events. She knew she had to visit her mother's lawyer tomorrow and take care of the house; her smile faltered and Sakura skipped a step and nearly fell. Her mother loved that house, but Sakura couldn't afford to move in there and as much as she hated to admit it, she would probably have to sell it.

She didn't care about her record anymore, so she walked the rest of the way home. Her breaths came out ragged and thick, her heart hammered in her chest, and she could feel the muscles in her legs twitching. All Sakura wanted to do now was take a nice hot shower and slip in bed; her mood had been dampened as reality had set in and she just wanted to hide in a corner and cry.

Sakura raised her head and saw Sasuke's car parked in her driveway and a company vehicle next to the curb. The lights were out in her house, so either there was a power outage or there was something suspicious going on. The hair on the back of her neck and on her arms stood on end the closer she got and she had this uncomfortable feeling she was being watched. She quickly fished her gun out of her pack and held it up with both hands as she walked closer to the house.

Her front door was shut, but the frame was damaged; someone had broken in her house and was most likely still in there. Carefully, Sakura opened the door and instantly raised her gun in front of her. She took cautious steps as she inched forward to the kitchen; when she was close enough, she switched her lights on and looked around.

She nearly dropped her gun when she saw Naruto out cold on her floor, his gun against the wall some distance away from him, and Sasuke on the couch. Sakura ran to Sasuke, setting her gun beside her when she knelt down and the first thing that caught her eye was the empty syringe on the coffee table. She looked at him and saw that he was trying to move, but his body didn't seem to want to.

Sakura's heart was beating faster than it already had been; the watch on her wrist beeping at her told her to control her breathing, but Sasuke was more important to her right now. She grabbed his head and pried open both of his eyes; he was unresponsive, but his mouth was moving and his hands were grasping her arms. She saw his neck and saw that the needle had punctured a major vein; Sasuke was most likely experiencing a trip from hell right about now…

"He isn't taking it well," A rough voice said from behind her and she froze over Sasuke, "is he?"

* * *

_Sasuke is stuck in a heroin trip from hell, just as Sakura put it. He is trying to warn Sakura, but his can barely move because Zaku forced him to OD and he is dangerously close to dying._

_What do you think Dosu told Sasuke? And seriously, who took those pictures of Sakura?_

_Thank you for reviewing again ;)_

_With love and gratitude,_

_~Ell  
_


	4. Chapter Four: No One's Home

_Sorry for the short chapter this time; I'm kind of drunk, kind of tired, and I want to go to bed. I just wanted to have this posted before I did so. Also, I want to apologize ahead of time for any grammatical and/or spelling errors because I'm too tired to go through and read this through for any._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters.  
_

* * *

_**Chapter Four: No One's Home**_

Sakura's breath hitched in her throat; her first instinct was to grab her gun and shoot whoever was behind her, but he probably had a gun of his own and would shoot her the moment she moved.

"What have you done?" Her voiced shook dangerously as she talked and she clenched her fist tightly.

The man laughed. "We were only following orders, but you and your friend over there just had to come and muck it all up."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and stood up. "If you want Sasuke, you have to go through me first. I've lost too much already; I _won't _let you take him."

She heard two other people start laughing; another man and a woman…she was out numbered. Sakura squeezed her fists tightly and felt her perfectly manicured nails bite into her palms, but she didn't care. She had to try and get one of her neighbors to call the cops, or try and contact Kakashi.

"We were hoping you would say that," the woman said.

"Hey Dosu," one of the men said, "did Orochimaru say this one was off limits?"

The other man chuckled low. "No."

While they were still laughing, Sakura quickly grabbed the syringe on the table, spun around, and tossed it at the closest person. It nailed the man, that was hunched over and had half of his face covered with bandages, right in the chest. He doubled over and yelled in pain; the other two were distracted momentarily, so she took this time to grab her gun. The moment her hand touched it, a body collided into her and forced her to crash into her coffee table, breaking it in half and sending a jolt of pain through her right side. Sakura ignored the pain and the protests of each limb in her body as she grabbed the body on top of her and rolled so that she was on top. She noticed that it was the other man; she memorized his rough features and spiked hair for future reference and punched him in the face, breaking his nose with a sickening snap. The man howled in pain and blood began pouring down his face.

She was suddenly yanked off of him by her hair and was pulled out of her living room; Sakura clawed at the hand that had a tight grip on her hair and she tried to grip something with her feet, but to no avail. Sakura was suddenly lifted to her feet with a painful lurch and slammed in the wall, followed closely by a punch to the gut and an elbow to her back when she bent over, causing her to sink to her knees.

"Ah, that little bitch," she heard the man with the broken nose screech.

"Oh, you're fine," the woman, who she guessed was the one pulling her hair, shot back at him. "Stop bitching."

He made a strange sound out of frustration. "She _broke_ my fucking nose!"

Sakura felt herself being lifted back up, her stomach twisted and she flinched at the pain. She cracked her eyes open just enough to see a beautiful woman standing in front of her with a sick grin on her face and malice dancing in her dark eyes.

"My you're a pretty one." She laughed as she ran the blade of her knife over Sakura's face and neck. "What should we do with her?"

"Kill the bitch." The man with the broken nose grunted.

The other man groaned slightly, but agreed. "She has seen our faces; she needs to be disposed of."

Sakura saw the woman's eyes harden and her heart hammered against her chest. Adrenaline spiked her veins and suddenly Sakura kicked the woman in the stomach, forcing her to let go of Sakura's hair and drop the knife. She picked up the knife and jammed it into the woman's shoulder, twisting it slightly and making her wriggle beneath it. She then spun around and jumped over the counter, grabbing her phone and her set of knives as she slid onto the floor. She groaned in pain when she hit the hard tile floor, but ignored it as she speed dialed Kakashi's number and grabbed a knife.

"Sakura? Hello?" She heard him answer his phone and put it next to her ear.

"Kakashi," she said in a hushed voice. "Call Shikamaru and have him send some people here and two ambulances. Sasuke and Naruto are down!"

"Wait," he was getting alarmed, "what's going on?"

"I don't have time to explain—UGH!" Sakura dropped her phone when the man with bandages kicked her in the stomach, forcing her to double over in pain and drop her cell phone.

"Now is not the time to be calling up friends," he growled and pulled her out of the kitchen by her hair. "Now, we're going to kill you, but don't worry, we'll make sure it's quick and painless."

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut when he tossed her onto the floor; her head bounced off the floor and lights danced behind her eyelids. Someone kicked her in the stomach again, harder this time and Sakura could taste blood on her tongue.

Dread filled Sakura as she realized she had failed in protecting Sasuke. These people were going to kill her and probably Naruto as well then take Sasuke away, if not kill him. She should have known this was going to happen; every case she had ever been on, someone always had to rescue her. When they had finally confronted the mass murder Zabuza and his kid accomplice Haku, Sasuke and Naruto had taken all of the hits for her, because she couldn't. She just sat on the sidelines crying, like she had her entire life and now, she was going to die.

Another hard kick to the stomach and Sakura whimpered in pain and blood kept filling her mouth until she coughed it out all over the floor. Again, she was pulled up to her knees by her hair and she felt someone punch her in the face; searing pain was all she could feel on the left side of her face as the punches kept coming. She was sure there was blood streaming down her face, mixed with tears, but the throbbing pain of her skull and jaw distracted her from it.

When the punching stopped, Sakura cracked her eyes open and through the blur of tears, her eyes met with Sasuke's onyx gaze. Her chest ached painfully and she felt something burn inside of her; Sakura was suddenly painfully aware of the knife that she still had in her hand and that she still had time until reinforcements came; all she had to do was stall long enough for them to get here. Sakura bit down on her lip and decided that she was going to keep fighting, even though she didn't have the strength to, but because Sasuke and Naruto needed her to. If she died here tonight, at least she could give them a chance to keep on living.

In one swift motion, Sakura swiped the knife through her hair and stood up. Quickly, she spun around and jammed the knife into the bandaged man's neck and punched him in the face, sending him to the ground. Sakura dodged another punch that was sent her way and grabbed the arm of the other man, twisted it, then used the force of her elbow to break his; he howled in pain and sunk to his knees, cradling his now broken arm.

Sakura took this chance to run over to Sasuke, but the guy had grasped her ankle; she tripped and landed onto her hands knees. The man crawled on top of her back, using his weight to hold her down, and began choking her. She clawed at his arm with her nails, breaking his skin in the process and some of her fake nails ripped off, but she was too preoccupied by her closed off trachea to care.

Just as Sakura could feel her lungs aching for air, the man was pulled off of her and she gasped and choked on the floor. She could hear him yelling in pain, but Sakura was on the brink of losing consciousness so she didn't turn to look what was going on. When she could breathe without coughing, she turned around and gasped when she saw Sasuke holding onto both of the man's arms, his foot between his shoulder blades and a sinister smile on his face that sent chills of fear down her spine. The man's shoulders made a sickening snapping sound and his yelling turned to screams of agony and Sasuke dropped him onto the floor.

Sakura forced herself to her feet, every inch of her body throbbing in pain, and wrapped her arms around Sasuke. The two sank to the floor and Sasuke drew his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him so that he could rest his head on her shoulder. He held her tightly as he shook violently and all Sakura could do was whisper kind words to him until help came. Soon enough, Sasuke's shaking stopped and all she could hear was him mumbling in broken phrases, so she rubbed his back to let him know he was ok.

It wasn't too much longer until she could hear sirens in the distance. Even with her eyes closed, she could still see the lights as they neared her home and breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Kakashi shouting her name from outside. She heard hurried footsteps enter her house and soon everything happened in a blur of frenzied movement; Naruto was carried out on a stretcher and the paramedics had to pry Sasuke off of Sakura in order to get him onto one and strap him to it before driving off in the ambulance. Kakashi picked Sakura up and cradled her against his chest; she heard him sigh in relief and bark out orders to someone, she didn't care enough to see who else was there.

* * *

Naruto groaned loudly and rubbed his head; the last thing he remembered was going into Sakura's…He sat up straight, but instantly fell back down and held onto his head; the world spun uncontrollably and he had the sickening sensation that he was going to vomit. When he slammed back down, he realized that he was on a somewhat soft bed and being restricted by paper-thin blankets. Naruto cracked his eyes open and saw that he was in a hospital room all by himself.

He sat back up, ripped the blankets off of himself, and swung his legs off to the side. When he pushed himself onto his feet, he saw that his clothes were folded on the chair beside him and he quickly changed out of his hospital gown before walking out into the deserted hallway. Naruto wandered the hallway until he found the desk in this wing and saw a girl behind there with light brown hair and blue eyes hidden behind thick glasses.

"Excuse me," his voice scared her slightly and a blush covered her face, "but is there someone here by the name of Sakura Haruno or Sasuke Uchiha?"

The girl typed the names into her computer and nodded. "Haruno checked out of the hospital a couple hours ago and Uchiha is in room 342."

"Thank you," he inclined his head and found the hallway that led to the main lobby, from there he could find his way to Sasuke's room and ask him what the hell happened last night.

On his way there, he saw Ino leaning against the wall with her head dropped and a hand over her mouth. When he reached her, he bumped into her, startling her, and saw the tears running down her face.

"It's bad, Naruto," she whispered. "Sasuke almost died and Sakura…her face…"

Naruto's eyebrows shot up and he looked through the window next to her; he saw Sakura's pink head resting on the bed Sasuke was sleeping on, her face hidden by his legs and their hands interlocking limply. They seemed so peaceful in there as they slept, as if nothing could disturb them.

"Shikamaru said Sasuke refused to let her go," again Ino's voice was unusually quiet, "he wouldn't let the paramedics pry them apart and when they did, all he did was say her name…"

"How long have they been out?" Naruto asked, still gazing at them.

She sighed. "Not long. I thought Sakura was going to throw one of the nurses through the window for saying she couldn't be in there. She just about did when they pulled her out of your room."

_Sakura visited me too?_ Naruto thought to himself when his eyes darted to Ino; she was looking into the room and had a pained expression on her face.

"The nurses are going to freak out when they see you aren't in your room." Ino laughed.

"Probably," he rubbed his sore head. "Why was I in there anyway?"

Ino looked at him with her large blue eyes. "The doctor said you had a major concussion; I'm surprised you can even move right now."

"I feel fine, except I have this annoying headache." Naruto smirked when his stomach growled loudly. "And apparently hungry. Wanna get something to eat?"

Ino hesitated, her gaze flickering back over to the two sleeping forms in the room before she responded. "Sure."

* * *

Everything hurt, especially his head. Sasuke fluttered his eyes open and the first thing he saw was pink. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the lightness of the room and he shifted slightly so that he was holding himself up on his elbows.

He didn't remember much of last night; only how he felt. He remembered being worried, then scared, numb, and then he felt this unbearable rage. Sasuke assumed everything was ok now, since Sakura had her head resting in his lap, a blanket around her shoulders, and her right hand was sitting on top of his. He noticed how bruised and swollen her knuckles were and he ran a finger over them; Sakura pulled her hand away slowly and whimpered slightly. He supposed those people he saw last night had something to do with this.

Sasuke's features darkened when he thought about the talk they had, or at least, what he remembered of it. He could also recall hearing Sakura's voice calling out his name and hearing her cry out in pain while she was being beaten. She had been hurt because of him and he could have lost her that night…

Absently, Sasuke ran a hand over the place where the needle had gone into his neck and part of him could still feel the burning of the drug entering his system. He had never felt so out of control of his own body before as he did last night, and he didn't like that feeling…it made him feel weak.

He kept looking at the back of Sakura's head as she slept soundly. She must have been exhausted; he could only assume that she fought with strength she didn't have just for him. Sasuke ran a hand through Sakura's ragged pink locks and vowed to never put her through something like this again.

* * *

_Again, sorry for the short chapter. _

_So what do you think? Did Ell do good? Now I need to think of something for the next chapter..._

_With love and gratitude,_

_~Ell  
_


	5. Chapter Five: Dead Eyes

_Sorry for the late, I went to a couple of parties and got a little messed up. Also, I will have to change the main pairing in the near future...it will be a surprise =)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters.  
_

* * *

_**Chapter Five: Dead Eyes**_

Sakura ran her fingers over the picture of her and her mother; an older woman with waist-length blond hair and bright blue eyes. The photo was taken a year ago and the two were smiling at a table. A soft smile touched her lips as she recalled that day; they had taken a vacation to Morocco and they had their picture taken at one of the fancier restaurants and both wore rather formal gowns; Sakura had her hair done up in a traditional twist on top of her head and wore a scarlet halter dress while her mother wore her hair down and a deep sapphire dress with only one strap over her right shoulder.

She took a deep breath and put the photo in the box on her mother's bed. Sakura continued going through her mother's nightstand, taking great care in what she touched. This was the very last room she had to clear out before the auction later that day and she was busy taking her time in saying her last goodbyes to the house she grew up in.

Sakura walked into her mother's bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror; Ino had fixed her hair so that it fanned out around her face and the bangs framed it neatly, she was sure she would look cute were it not for her black eye and bruised face. Her lip was swollen from the fight two nights ago and there were plenty of cuts on her face as well. She touched her hair and a frown cracked her fat lip; so much has changed in such a short time and Sakura was beginning to feel lost in the mess.

Tears streamed down her broken face and she forced herself to look away from the mirror. She took a look at the bathroom and didn't see anything she should take, so she walked out and sat on her mom's bed. Sakura had emptied the entire house and now it just felt so empty and cold; she had already donated all of her mother's clothing, except her mother's wedding dress. She looked down at her hand and adjusted the two rings on her finger; her mother's wedding ring rested behind the ring her mother told her that was given to her by Sakura's father; her mother rarely spoke of her father, she could see it hurt her mother to do so, so she never asked any questions. Sakura wasn't certain how old the ring was, but the diamond in the center of the rose gold rose seemed to be aging with time, but it didn't diminution the beauty it held.

"Sakura?" Ino's voice echoed through the house and she saw her blond friend enter the room, her baby blue tank top and white shorts dusty from cleaning. "Sakura, the auction is about to start."

Sakura nodded, not trusting her voice. She picked up the last box on the bed and rested it on her hip; she followed Ino out of the room and out the house. There was a crowd of people in front of the house, all of whom were standing in front of a make-shift stage. The two women paused in front of Ino's car, studying the crowd.

"Are you going to stay for it?" She asked after she helped Sakura adjust the box in the backseat. "You know, to see who buys it?"

Sakura kept her head low and pretended to make sure all of the boxes were secure. "No. I'd rather not know."

Ino nodded and the two took off. Sakura didn't look back at the house, she just continued to stare at the rings on her finger.

"So, uh, I got an interesting text from Kiba the other day," her voice sounded jealous and amused. "It was a picture of you and Sasuke…smiling."

Sakura looked at her with eyebrows furrowed.

"Why didn't you tell me you were dating Sasuke?" Ino's voice suddenly got serious.

Sakura shook her head and sighed. "We aren't dating. Sasuke just took me out to breakfast because there wasn't any food in my fridge. He was only trying to cheer me up…"

Ino looked at her with calculating eyes and smiled. "I believe you."

Sakura smiled slightly at her friend; back in high school they used to fight for Sasuke's attention, but they both grew out of it when he clearly rejected both of them. Even though Ino was now dating Choji, Sakura new that Ino still secretly fawned over Sasuke when he wasn't looking.

"Have you heard much from Sasuke lately?" She asked.

Sakura shook her head. "No."

Sasuke avoided Sakura when he was released from the hospital and he refuses to talk to anyone. She knew something had been troubling him, but he just kept quiet. When he looked at her, there was pain and regret mixed with determination and something else Sakura didn't recognize and it only worried her more.

"You know," Ino said after a few minutes of silence, "I have an extra bedroom if you want to crash tonight."

Sakura closed her eyes for a moment before answering, "Thank you, but I think I want to be alone tonight."

Ino nodded and they continued their journey in completely silence. Sakura wasn't really in the mood to talk and Ino seemed to have picked up on that. Since that night, her friends rarely let her have any time to herself; Hinata even came over and helped Ino clean up the mess in her house after the bodies were moved. The woman hadn't been there when Kakashi arrived, but there was a streak of her blood on the wall and that was plenty of evidence for her to be tracked down.

* * *

Sasuke sat on his bed, all of the pictures of Sakura sitting in front of him in a timeline. Whoever took these had been watching her for several years; what Dosu had told him was only half true. Someone was, and still might be, stalking Sakura and she could be in serious danger.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It was his fault Sakura had gotten injured that night; those people were after him and they used her to get to him. He hadn't realized it until now, but Sakura had become his weakness and he couldn't allow her to get hurt again, he would have to keep her as far from him as possible.

Sasuke looked out the window and saw that the sun was setting. Despite everything, he couldn't help but wonder what she was doing at this moment; was she worried about him? Was she even thinking of him? He remembered clearly what she had done for him; he could still see the look on her face when she was being choked by Zaku and his heart sank.

He touched his neck subconsciously and wondered about the drug he had been forced to take. He had this burning need to feel it again, his body ached to feel that release again and he wasn't exactly sure how to get it. His face was pretty well known in that world and it would be hard for him to enter it without suspicion.

He again thought of Sakura. Tomorrow was the funeral and he didn't know whether or not he was going. He thought it best to just stay out of the way for now, knowing that Kakashi was going to question him about what had happened. Sasuke didn't plan on telling anyone about why they were there and the only other person who had the slightest clue was Sakura…

Sasuke's head snapped up and he hopped off his bed. He needed to tell her that she could not, under any circumstances, tell _anyone_ about that. So, he grabbed his jacket and bolted out the door, not bothering to lock it, and sped off to Sakura's.

His mind was in high alert as he drove there and his tension only seemed to grow the closer he got there. As he neared her neighborhood, he began to wonder if she was even home, since she had stayed the last night at Naruto's, but as he turned onto her street, he saw her car in the driveway and a wave of relief washed over him.

Once he was parked, Sasuke looked around to check to see if anyone was watching and knocked on her door. After a couple of minutes, the door swung open Sakura stood in the entrance wearing a tight black tank top and tiny red shorts. Sasuke took in a moment to soak in her appearance before letting himself in, past the seemingly stunned Sakura.

"Sasuke," She squeaked from behind him as she closed the door. "I wasn't expecting you."

Sasuke took a look around her house and saw that it was almost back to normal before turning around and looking at her; her abused face was etched with concern and his heart jumped at the pained look on her face.

"We need to talk," he said in a cool tone.

Sakura seemed taken aback, but she nodded and motioned for him to follower her to the living room. When they sat, Sasuke saw a bouquet of roses on her table and a pang of jealous struck him, but he said nothing. However, he took a quick glance at the name on the card and saw that they were from Kakashi; Sasuke frowned at that and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Is everything ok, Sasuke?" Sakura asked; her green eyes were bloodshot and Sasuke could only guess why.

He looked at her square in the eyes, the seriousness of the situation making her sit up straighter. "About what you saw that night, you can't tell _anyone_."

She blinked in confusion and shook her head. "Why? These people are after you, Sasuke."

He sighed and scratched his face. "If you tell anyone, Sakura, more will come back and they will not only kill you, but everyone you know."

She just stared at him, there was no emotion on her face but her eyes were tearing up. Something inside of him tore at that moment and he quickly gathered her into his arms; he felt Sakura stiffen in his grasp, but he just held onto her tighter. Sasuke buried his face into her neck and took in her scent; a blend of mango, pomegranate, and vanilla. After a couple of agonizing minutes, Sakura melted into his arms and her arms snaked up around his neck. They stayed that way for several moments and when they pulled apart, tears were streaming down her face; gently, so as not to harm her, Sasuke used his thumb to wipe her tears away and steady her quivering lips.

Sakura's phone rang loudly from the table, which appeared to be different than the one that was there a few days ago, startling both of them and ruining the moment. She pulled away to answer it and Sasuke sank in his spot with a hand covering his face, but he never stopped watching her.

"What do you need, Naruto?" She sounded irritated. "Yes, I'm a little _busy_ at the moment…why?"

Sasuke shook his head and looked out the window, he couldn't see any movement in the bushes, but he was sure the stalker was there somewhere. He would have gone out to look, but he didn't want to alarm Sakura. He figured that if he made his presence known, the stalker would leave and soon, never return.

The sound of Sakura setting her phone on the table caught his attention and he looked at Sakura curiously. She huffed loudly and looked at him with a blush staining her face.

"Do you..um…want something to drink?" She asked nervously.

* * *

He sat and watched as his beloved cherry blossom entertained that damn _Uchiha_. He was grateful to whoever had called her and broke up that moment they had had; the Uchiha had no right touching _his_ cherry blossom.

He felt a sinister grin touch his lips as he wondered what it would feel like to have her writhing beneath him, to hear her scream his name. One day, she _will_ scream for him…and she will _bleed_ for him.

He had watched her for years, ever since he first saw her all those years ago. She was just so young then, so fragile, but she grew and now she was a beautiful flower…his flower. No one else could have her; he would have to _remove_ them for even touching his precious gem. The three who broke into her house and dared to harm her were his target for now; with one disposed of and the other in custody, he only had one to take care and she would be the easiest to find and she will pay dearly for hurting his cherry blossom. No one will hurt her, no one will _touch_ her, but him and he will make sure of that.

In due time, he will have his cherry blossom. Soon, she will be saying his name in ecstasy and pain. And soon, she will want no one else; she will crave him and no one else will be able to please her the way only he could.

He just had to be patient…

* * *

Sakura woke to the sound of her floorboards creaking. She felt that she was in her bed, having gone to bed shortly after Sasuke left, and took out the gun in her nightstand. Cautiously and quietly, she crept to her door and cracked it open; her house was still dark and seemingly empty, but still she snuck out of her room with her gun ready.

When she was close enough, Sakura flicked on the lights of her living room and saw that her house was empty. Sighing in relief, she dropped her arm and looked at the clock on the wall; it was early in the morning, about an hour or so before dawn. Figuring she wouldn't fall back to sleep, Sakura went to her kitchen and began her latte maker.

Yawning, Sakura went to the bathroom and looked at herself in her mirror; her face was still badly bruised and swollen, but her lip was no longer cracked and fat. Her hair was pushed up to one side and gave her the overall look of a disaster. She grimaced and looked away, unable to take it all in; she used to be so vain and proud about her looks and now that she saw herself, she realized how weak and pathetic she was. Instead of training for hand-to-hand combat, she went to the salon and got hair treatments; her looks meant everything to her and now that they were gone, she saw how truly ugly she had been…

Sakura gripped the edge of the sink and cursed. No longer will she be _that girl_; from this point on she was going to take the step up and prepare herself for every possible situation. The incident with Sasuke and Naruto had opened her eyes to how useless she really was and she wasn't going to take it; for once in her life she was going save someone else and not just be dead weight.

She heard the ding from the kitchen and left the bathroom, a new feeling of determination spread through her body and a smile graced her lips. Sakura grabbed a cup from her cupboard and poured herself a small amount of the light brown liquid, the aroma of caramel entranced her for only a second before she blew on it softly and took a sip. She smiled again as the warmth soothed her aching body and she leaned against the counter.

Sakura thought of everything that needed to get done today and the smile on her face fell. First, she needed a shower, but that went without saying. She already knew that she was going to wear the black pencil dress her mother had bought her on a whim and she knew that Ino's family was bringing the flowers in a few hours for the setup, but she didn't know if she was strong enough to see her mother in her final resting place.

She shook her head before the tears started falling and drained the last of her latte. Sakura returned to the bathroom and began her morning ritual; taking her shower, brushing her hair, and slipping on her tight, form-fitting dress. Once done, she slipped on a pair of simple heels and began loading her car with the collages of her and her mother, along with their friends. She then grabbed her jacket and locked her door.

Sakura knew she had plenty of time, but she couldn't sit around and wait for the funeral. So, she started her car and took the long way to the funeral home. The drive was silent and Sakura emptied her mind of everything, allowing herself this moment of peace.

_**A few hours later…**_

Sakura stood in front of her mother's grave as the dirt slowly buried the rosewood coffin. Her eyes were sore from crying and she felt as if she didn't have any strength left in her and her legs quivered beneath her. The flowers Ino and her mother arranged surrounded the headstone, a small black stone with her mother's name and the dates of her life and date; she kept an orchid in her hand, squeezing the stem slightly as she forced herself to remain strong.

She felt a pair of arms circle her shoulders and from the corner of her eyes she could see Ino and Naruto on either side of her. She felt Sasuke's presence behind her and she dropped her head slightly. Her body began to shake as the last bits of dirt were pushed into the grave and she knelt in front of the fresh pile. She placed her hand onto the dirt and placed the orchid in the middle; she couldn't say a word to her mother because her voice was caught in a sob. Sakura's tears fell onto the grave and she watched as the dirt soaked them up.

* * *

Three siblings exited a train, all of who had sun kissed skin and bags dragging behind them; the oldest of the three was a tall woman with sandy blond hair and aqua eyes, she was clad in a white dress that hung off her shoulders and purple belt rested on her small hips. The second oldest stood tall in his black attire and his brown hair hung in his dark eyes as if he had just woken up. And the third, the youngest of the three, wore black casual suit and had dark red hair, and dark circles of sleep deprivation brightened his dead jade eyes.

The three moved silently through the crowd in the train station, ignoring the stares that followed them until they exited the building and stood on sidewalk. The sister looked to her brothers and spotted their escort; as soon as it pulled up to them, they each put their bags in the back and climbed into the limo. Inside, was a man with half his face covered by a turban.

"It's a pleasure to see you," he bowed his head in respect to the siblings. "I trust your trip was well."

The woman nodded. "Is everything ready?"

"Indeed it is," he replied kindly. "That is, if Gaara is."

* * *

_So, who do you think the stalker is? I'm curious about your assumptions. And yes, the sand siblings have FINALLY entered the story, but they appear to be up to no good._

_Thank you all for reading and reviewing!_

_With love and gratitude,_

_~Ell  
_


	6. Chapter Six: Shadows of a Dream

_Hey guys, I apologize that this is so late. My great aunt and uncle died recently and between both of their funerals, family visiting, and a friend that came down to see me for the weekend, I haven't had the time to finish this chapter. I am also sorry if it ends up being boring, I was trying to set up the characters to a deeper level._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters.  
_

* * *

_**Chapter Six: Shadows of a Dream**_

Sasuke stared at the paper work in his hands and through that last paragraph for the third time; his mind wasn't on work and hadn't been for a couple of weeks now. Since he and Sakura both returned to work, things seemed to have calmed down; he had did his best to keep his distance from her and though she always seemed troubled, no harm had come to her.

There was a knock on the door and he saw Naruto standing in his door way, a frown on his face.

"Yes?" Sasuke asked in a bored tone.

He entered the room and slammed his hands on Sasuke's desk. "I don't know what your game is, but where the _hell_ do you get off treating Sakura this way?"

Sasuke met his friend's fierce blue eyes, but said nothing.

"Sakura isn't herself anymore," he growled. "She spends almost every waking hour at work and when she isn't, she goes to the all night gym downtown."

"And what does that have anything to do with me?" Sasuke sighed.

"She is doing it because she doesn't think she is good enough for _you_." Sadness laced his voice and he began to speak quietly. "She has always wanted you to at least notice her…"

Sasuke's heart twisted into a knot at his words, but he hid it well. "If you care so much, then you take her."

"You just throw her away like she's nothing?" He whispered dangerously and walked to the door, but stopped and looked over his shoulder. "You don't deserve the love she holds for you."

Sasuke dropped his head into his hands once Naruto left his office. He hadn't realized he had that big of an impact on Sakura and it hurt to push her so far away, but he thought it was better they begin hating him before…

Another knock on the door brought Sasuke out of his reverie and he looked up to see Kakashi studying him closely. He didn't like the way his eyes locked on to his own and he shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes?" Sasuke asked, irritated now.

Kakashi smirked and leaned onto the door nonchalantly. "You have a run to go on."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted and stood up. "With who?"

"Naruto," he replied and watched him with calculating eyes, "_and _Sakura."

Sasuke froze and felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise up. He was sure Kakashi was calculating his body language right now, but at the moment the only thing on his mind was of the pinkette that invaded his dreams at night and the same person he tried to avoid as much as possible.

"You might want to hurry," Kakashi's voice was flooded with amusement, "I believe they are getting ready to take off."

Kakashi left shortly after that and Sasuke cursed under his breath; just his luck to get stuck on a case with the same person he didn't want to be around right now. Quickly, he left his office and ran down the stairs to the main level and out the door. He saw Naruto standing beside the same vehicle he always chose, but said nothing as he reached him. He noticed Sakura wasn't in the vehicle and looked at Naruto curiously.

"She'll be out in a second," Naruto answered his unspoken question in a low tone, "she is talking to Tsunade."

Just as Naruto finished talking, Sasuke heard heels clicking against the pavement. When he saw her, he held his breath; Sakura wore a black pencil skirt and a red button up blouse and her hair was styled to fan out around her face, which was no longer bruised and was currently flushed with anger. There were dark circles under eyes and Sasuke knew it had something to do with what Naruto had told him earlier and hanging off her shoulder was the pack she took with her whenever she was in the field.

Sakura walked right past him and didn't spare him a second glance as she hopped into the passenger's seat. Sasuke and Naruto followed suit and the three were off; the ride was quiet and Sasuke was sure it was because both of the other two already knew what they were doing.

"Be sure to give us both enough time to pack for three weeks," Sakura said as Naruto got close to her neighborhood.

Naruto nodded and Sasuke looked at her with confusion obviously evident on this face, but said nothing. Once Sakura was dropped off, Sasuke moved to the front seat and waited patiently for Naruto to tell him what was going on, which incidentally didn't take long.

He sighed and made his way to Sasuke's home. "We are going to be escorts to some big shot diplomats children for three weeks. I guess they needed us for the Matsue Jozan Koen festival."

* * *

Gaara sat in his seat, his arm crossed as he watched his sister pace back and forth. They were currently waiting on their escorts for the festival and his siblings were getting antsy. He shifted slightly and looked out at the window, a few birds danced past him and he watched them closely until he heard the door knock.

When it opened, he watched as three agents entered; the first was a small woman wearing casual suit of red and black with odd pink hair and emerald green eyes, the second was a tall man with unruly blond hair and fierce blue eyes wearing a pair of jeans and black jacket, and the third was a tall man with spiked black hair, cold onyx eyes, and wearing an all black business suit similar to his own. He watched as his sister and brother stopped what they were doing in order to greet them, but he just sat in his chair with no intention of moving.

"I'm Temari Sabaku and these are my brothers Kankurō and Gaara," she gestured to both of them and his eyes caught with the blond haired man.

"I'm Sakura Haruno," the woman stated and Gaara's gaze shifted to her. "These are my colleagues Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. I apologize for the wait."

His siblings looked at the dark haired man with shock on their faces.

"An Uchiha, huh?" Kankurō stated as he approached them.

The man nodded, but remained quiet.

Gaara stood and approached the group; Sakura glanced at him and bowed, her eyes never breaking contact with his. Sasuke inclined his head, but otherwise seemed uninterested. And Naruto studied his appearance until his eyes rested on the kanji tattoo on his forehead; Gaara narrowed his eyes at him, warning him to not say a word.

"Now that you're here," he spoke in a low tone, "I believe we can start getting ready to leave immediately."

"Of course," Sakura replied with a smile.

"I'll make sure the limo is ready," Kankurō said with a yawn and exited the room.

"So, since you three are the kids of a diplomat," Naruto waved his hand as he spoke, "why did you need us to _escort_ you throughout this festival? You have your own bodyguards, don't you?"

Sakura shot him a dark glare for the question, but Temari answered anyways.

"Actually, we don't have any bodyguards," she sounded a little annoyed with the blond. "Baki, our father's advisor, suggested we get a few Naichō agents. He said you are physically and mentally prepared for just about everything."

Sakura blushed and smiled at Temari. "That sure was kind of him."

Gaara rolled his eyes and went back to his chair and looked out the window; he felt a set of eyes on him, but he ignored them. This was going to be a very long trip…

* * *

Sakura sat beside Temari inside the limo; they had been on the road for nearly an hour now and she was already getting agitated. Naruto had decided to sit up front with the driver, leaving her and Sasuke to sit with the Sabaku siblings.

Sasuke was on the other side and his eyes were glued to the moon roof above them. Kankurō had in a pair of ear buds and was listening to his music, while Temari was reading a book and Gaara had his eyes closed, but Sakura knew he wasn't sleeping.

"So, Miss Haruno," she looked up to see Kankurō pulling out an ear bud and staring at her with a heated gaze. "How long have you been with the agency?"

"About two years now," she shifted uncomfortably. "I was a med student before that."

He smiled. "What made you join?"

"Hm," Sakura tilted her head and recalled that day. "Well, I was in the lab and a few agents came in asking me if I was interested in taking the exam to join. I suppose I caught their attention after I had successfully came up with an antidote for several different types of poisons, including the metal based toxin the infamous Sasori uses."

All three of the siblings looked at her with curious gazes. Even Sasuke had his eyes on her.

"You did?" Temari questioned. "Not even our own medical specialist back home could do that and they have years of experience. How long did it take you?"

Sakura recalled the series of trials and errors it had taken her. "About thirty-six hours."

Temari gasped and Kankurō began coughing. She could feel Gaara's gaze on her and a shiver went down her spine.

"That ring you're wearing," Temari said with a shaky voice, "where did you get it?"

Sakura looked down and saw she which one she was pointing at. "Oh, this one. It was my mother's; she told me that my father had given it to her the day I was born."

"Do you know who your father was?" She asked.

Sakura shook her head and adjusted the ring on her finger. "My mom said that he never came back."

Everything went silent after that and Sakura dropped her head in thought. The only thing she really knew of her father was that he was a Diplomat, but she didn't know from where. Her mother had told her that it was her father that had named her that day and she said that a single tear was running down his face when he left.

"And what about your blond friend?" Kankurō asked with a chuckle.

"Naruto?" Sakura snapped out of her reverie and giggled. "He and Sasuke joined four years ago. I'm not quite sure why Naruto did though; he doesn't really seem like the type, does he?"

"No, he really doesn't." He shook his head.

She sighed and looked out the tinted window. "But he is a good agent."

Sakura's gaze caught Sasuke's and she could see guilt lurking in their onyx depths. He looked away quickly and she could suddenly feel the tension in the air when Gaara glared at Sasuke; they were locked in their rigid positions for a few seconds before Temari cleared her throat and the moment passed.

Unsure of what had just happened; Sakura's eyes darted from Sasuke to Gaara several times. Their body language was obviously aggressive and Gaara's upper lip twitched slightly into a smirk. She looked over to Kankurō and saw how he was stiff as well and taking several deep breaths and when she glanced at Temari, she saw her watching Gaara with worry obvious on her fair features.

It was then that Sakura wished Naruto had been back here to relieve the tension. It was going to be a long ride…

* * *

Sasuke sighed and turned on the cold water faucet. He splashed the cool liquid on his face and watched the water spiral down the faucet. They had arrived just moments ago and he was relieved to have some time alone; being so close to Sakura set his nerves on high alert, especially when she spoke of herself in such a sad tone. However, Gaara was something else entirely; his heated gaze still made his skin burn and he saw the darkness inside of that redhead. He didn't like how he watched Sakura with those eyes.

Sasuke shut off the faucet and looked at himself in the mirror. The bags under his eyes were more pronounced than ever and the whites of his eyes were beginning to take on a very dark shade of red. His skin was paler than normal and even his hair was more askew; he was a mess, that much was obvious and he knew Sakura would approach him about it.

He looked down at his bag on the floor and could feel his neck itch. Sasuke bent down and unzipped the bag; he pulled out the small wooden box and set it on the counter top. He opened it and gazed down at the pictures inside; his heart lurched and he hoped that Sakura would be safe from her stalker while they were here. Sasuke knew how easy it would be for him to steal Sakura away in the crowds at the festival and he just hope that they wouldn't get separated.

There was a knock on the door, startling Sasuke and he quickly slid the box back into his bag. He straightened up and opened the door to see Naruto on the other side, his chest heaving slightly and an exhausted look on his face.

"I need to use the bathroom." He growled and pushed passed Sasuke.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted, grabbed his bag, and left the bathroom in a flash.

He had gotten stuck with Naruto as a roommate for the length of the festival, but at least Sakura was in the room next their own and had a conjoining door. He sat on the bed next to the window and looked out at the town below them; he saw Sakura talking to Temari next to the limo and spotted Gaara leaning against it, watching her closely.

Sasuke growled slightly and felt his left eye twitch. He watched as Temari left Sakura's side and moved out of his line of vision, leaving Sakura alone with Gaara. She approached him cautiously and he could tell she was trying to make conversation, but the redhead didn't seem to respond. Instead, Gaara looked up at him and their eyes collided again; the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and he could feel his skin heat up.

There was malice in his jade eyes when they looked at each other, but their connection was broken when Temari returned. Sakura seemed to look between the two before heading towards the hotel, but Sasuke was too interested in the huddle the two siblings had gotten caught up in while staring at Sakura.

The bathroom door opened behind him and Sasuke glanced over his shoulder to see Naruto watching him. He was giving him the same calculating look Kakashi had given him earlier that day and Sasuke huffed before turning back to the window to see Temari alone talking on her cell phone.

"You know," Naruto sighed and sat on the other bed. "If you love Sakura so much, you should tell her. She loves you too, I don't know _why_, but she does."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned to see Naruto staring at the floor and pain etched over his features. It was no secret that Naruto had a crush on Sakura since they were children, but his annoying attempts to get her attention were either gone unnoticed or ignored because Sakura was so set upon himself.

"You have a week," Naruto said and looked up at him. "We are away from our homes and away from the disruptions, so you should at least try to show her that you aren't a giant dick." Naruto smiled and stood up after that, all traces of remorse gone. "Now then, Kankurō said something about going to the bar tonight, so get dressed in something not so…serious."

Naruto laughed at him and opened up his bag.

* * *

_So how was it? I'm completely unsure. Also, I would like to let you all know that starting in Chapter Seven I will be writing little skits of myself, my close friend Embirsiphonelilathia, and DerLaCroix. They will be dark and bloody people =)_

_Thank you for reading and reviewing._

_With love and gratitude,_

_~Ell  
_


	7. Chapter Seven: Break Your Heart

_Sorry for the late guys, but I was at a loss for what to put into this chapter. I know it is shorter than usual, but I like where I ended it...plus there is a surprise in the next chapter because you guys ROCK!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.  
_

* * *

_**Chapter Seven: Break Your Heart**_

Kakashi looked over the papers on his desk, most of it menial paper work. He heaved a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his hair. The last three days had been quiet and the tension in the building in the agency; he could feel the electricity in the air and he knew everyone else could feel it too…something big was going to happen. It didn't help that he hadn't gotten a call from Sakura _or_ Naruto since they had left and he was beginning to worry. He also had the constant calls and meetings with the bank about selling his house and moving into his new one; he had more than enough money, but there had been issues with his own home and it was beginning to seem that it would never hit the market and he was stuck with it.

It was times like this that Kakashi wished he was at the bar instead of work.

Kakashi looked at the clock on the wall and groaned; it wasn't even noon yet.

A loud rumbling sound erupted from his phone and he looked at the small device without enthusiasm, that is, until he saw the caller id.

"You miss me already, huh?" He chuckled and his heart leapt when he heard her laugh too.

"Oh, Kakashi," Sakura's sweet voice cooed. "How is everything?"

He smiled slightly. "Dull since you left. Nothing has happened and we are stuck on the case."

"Ouch."

Kakashi leaned back in his chair and kicked his feet onto his desk. "How is everything going on your end?"

"Ugh." She groaned. "Kankurō brought out his puppets and freaked out Naruto. It's impossible to keep those two in line, I swear. Temari and I both are thinking of dropping them in a lake. And don't get me started on the drinking…"

"Sounds fun," he laughed again. "What about Sasuke?"

"Well…" Her voice trailed off for a moment. "He's been more withdrawn than usual."

"I find that hard to believe."

She huffed and continued. "He won't talk to either me or Naruto. He just remains silent, he doesn't even make his usual cocky remarks anymore. And when both he and Gaara are in the same room, you can literally feel the aggression. I'm worried…"

"Hmm, I wouldn't look too deeply into it." Kakashi reassured her. "They both seem to be competing for dominance. Sasuke is smart, and he knows better than to start a fight with someone as important as Gaara."

"You're right," she laughed, but it seemed forced. "I'm just over-analyzing it again."

He chuckled lightly, but straightened up and his voice was laced with concern. "So, besides that, how are _you_ holding up?"

She sighed. "It's…kind of hard. I just want to go home. I don't know how much longer I can stand to be away for another four days."

"I'll tell you what," he piped up, "when you get back, the two of us can spend the day together."

"That would be nice," she said in a quiet tone.

There was a pause of silence before there was the sound of rustling and a door closing.

"Kakashi, there is something I need to tell," her voice was rushed and low.

Alarms were going off in his mind as he sat up straight and listened intently.

"That night, when my house was broken into," she took a deep breath. "Those people released information about Sasuke's brother…I think they are trying to get him to abandon us and join them."

Kakashi sighed and rubbed his head. "It sounds very likely."

"A couple days later Sasuke came to my house and told me not to tell _anyone_." Her voice cracked. "I told you because…I…I trust you. Please, Kakashi, help…"

His heart caught in his throat and his stomach sank.

"Alright," he croaked out, "I'll help."

She sighed in relief. "Thank you, Kakashi."

For some unknown reason, hearing those words warmed him. He heard her sigh again ad he closed his eyes, enjoying the sound; a small smile touched his lips.

"I have to go," she said in a hushed tone. "I'll call you later."

She hung up and Kakashi rubbed his eyes, the smile still present.

His head snapped up when he heard a cough in the doorway. Anko was watching him with an eyebrow raised up and a knowing smirk on her face. She walked up to his desk and slammed her hands on the surface, shaking the desks, a full out devious grin on her face.

"I haven't seen _that_ look on your face for years," her voice was low and malicious. "Who could you have _possibly_ been talking to?"

"Ugh," he groaned. "What do you want, Anko?"

She laughed. "I want to know who _she_ is."

"It's none of your business," he snapped.

"I disagree," she stated firmly before snatching his cell phone out of his hand and instantly began searching for something. "Aaah, little Sakura Haruno. Sexy little thing, isn't she? Hmm, wasn't she your student? You dirty old man."

Kakashi stood up and grabbed his phone, an obvious scowl on his face.

Anko stood up and walked out of his office, but stopped and turned her head. "You have quite the competition for her."

Once she was gone, Kakashi sat down in his chair and sighed in frustration.

_Great…_

_

* * *

_

Sakura slipped her phone in her pocket and sank to the floor of the bathroom. She knew that Sasuke was going to be angry with her, and any chance of them getting together would be tossed out the window.

She heard Naruto's snore from the room beside hers and sighed. Even if Sasuke was listening to her, he wouldn't be able to hear her over Naruto. For once she thanked Naruto's extensive drinking and stood up. She crossed the room and opened the curtains of her room and was immediately blinded by the sun; she recovered quickly and looked down at the people walking the streets in traditional kimonos and yukatas.

Three days into the festival and Sakura was beginning to wish she had just stayed home. She had always wanted to attend this festival since she was a child, but now it just seemed hollow and boring. Perhaps it was because she was acting as a bodyguard to the Sabaku siblings and couldn't actually enjoy it, or maybe it was because Sasuke's behavior lately was frightening her. Sakura had attempted approaching Naruto about it, but didn't seem to notice a change. What was worse was that she kept catching scratching the area on his neck where the drug had been injected, leaving marks that looked as if they would get infected if went untreated.

Sakura sighed again and looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Soon, Temari would be knocking on her door to be ready for shopping…_again_. With a sad smile, she realized how much alike Temari and Ino were and it was comforting to be around her, even though she seemed distant and stiff at times. Kankurō was a different story; there were times when he was goofy and carefree, as if he hadn't a care in the world, but sometimes he would have a dark and shadowed look about him and that troubled Sakura. Gaara was a different story, there were moments she would catch him staring at her with such an intense gaze, Sakura feared that her clothes might set on fire from it; when he wasn't watching her, he and Sasuke would have their own glaring contests until something else interrupted them, which was usually Naruto.

Sakura looked over at the mirror on the dresser and adjusted her red baby tee so that it covered her stomach, but sighed when it just bounced back up. Her black jeans were a bit snug on her, but not enough to cut into her skin. She walked over to the dresser and clipped her hip holster to her belt and checked to make sure her pistol's sight was correctly aligned before slipping it into the holster.

A knock on the door startled her and she quickly made her way to the door. After unhooking the chain and opening the door, she stood back when she saw Sasuke standing before her, dressed in dark jeans and a plain black tee. The look on his face was that of confusion and pain, completely taking her by surprise; she lifted her hand to take his own, but he grabbed her wrist roughly, causing her to wince slightly. Sakura looked into his eyes and her breath hitched; his onyx eyes bled with intensity and a chill went down her spine.

With a rough tug, Sakura smacked into Sasuke's chest; his other hand lifted her chin and she soon found herself lost in a frenzy of shock, panic, and lust. The moment their eyes collided, Sakura's heart hammered in her chest and she went deaf to the world; all there was, in this moment, was the two of them. Sasuke brushed his thumb over her quivering bottom lip and a soft smile touched his lips; he inched his face closer to her own and Sakura could feel his hot breath wash over. Her eyes fluttered in anticipation and her stomach felt as if it were doing somersaults…

A cough nearby caused them both to freeze. Sasuke's gaze seemed locked onto something behind her and his grip loosened until his hands fell at his sides; in the blink of an eye, he was already walking down the hallway and turned the corner, leaving Sakura in a daze. She dared a look at the person who interrupted them and saw the Sabaku siblings standing in the hallway; Temari had a smug grin on her face, beside her Kankurō stood with his mouth wide open and a look of bewilderment on his face, while Gaara burned her with a smoldering gaze.

Sakura dropped her head and felt her face heat up. _Why me…_

_

* * *

_

A sinister grin touched his lips as he watched the citizens walk by him, completely ignoring his existence. The job was almost done and soon all of these unsuspecting people would be caught in a fury of chaos. He shifted uncomfortably in his position and growled; his partner was taking his sweet time, and he _loathed_ being kept waiting…

A flash of pink hair froze his thoughts and he focused his eyes on the woman, his precious cherry blossom, laughing beside a blond woman. He cursed to himself silently; she was too close to the blasting area and could get seriously injured. It wouldn't be hard for him to catch her in his arms and disappear in the crowd without anyone even noticing, but he had a job to. He supposed his own personal need could wait just a little bit longer, after all, she will be coming for him shortly.

A presence at his side told him his companion was finished with it and a malicious chuckle escaped his lips.

It was time…

* * *

Sakura smiled, despite her annoyance. Temari had been playing some of the games at the festival and had won a few prizes; a fan made of a very fine lace, a giant stuffed panda, and a goldfish. Now, she refused to stop playing until she won the crystal necklace sitting in an open box.

She hadn't seen Naruto or Sasuke since they disappeared with Kankurō and Gaara, but she assumed they had gotten bored and went to a bar or something. She adjusted the panda in her arms and looked around; couples and families laughed among themselves as they enjoyed the festivities, but something in the air didn't feel right.

A series of loud explosions, followed by screams and the citizens running in terror, startled Sakura. A bored from a nearby stall struck Sakura with such force that she was positive her arm was broken, she fell to the ground and blinked frantically; lights danced in her eyes and a loud hum in her hears prevented her from hearing most of the cries from the people running around. Sakura bit her cheek as she forced herself to her knees, cradling her broken arm. Her head whipped around as she tried to spot Temari, but she must have run off. With a deep breath, Sakura pushed herself to her feet and looked at the pile of rubble that was once the statue of Japan's first Emperor.

In the distance, she could hear more explosions and screams, but the only thing on her mind was to get back up and medical attention for the poor souls who had fallen to the first bomb. She leaned against the nearest stall and pulled out her phone; as quickly as she could, she dialed Kakashi's number heard it ring a couple times before he answered.

"Well hello there," he said cheerfully.

With a shaky breath and unsteady voice, Sakura sighed into the phone. "We have a problem."

* * *

_**Random Skit:**_

With a heavy _thud_, the last body fell to the blood soaked ground. It was a long fight, but they had succeeded, as usual. They didn't have many loses on their side, which was do in partial to the fact that Silence wasn't allowed to kill anymore of her subordinates when they disobeyed her.

She scratched at the thick collar around her neck and pushed her long, blood matted black hair out of her face. With each intake of breath, she could taste the blood that stained the cloth mask covering part of her face and her boots her sinking into the soft ground. Thankfully, there weren't any scars on her bare legs and her skintight leather suit wasn't ripped.

Silence spun around, her waist-cloak whipping heavily, and observed the battleground; the injured were already being tended to and the dead were being piled up for burning. A soft smile touched her hidden lips; this is where she belonged, on the battlefront covered in blood.

On of her many subordinates came running up to her, his uniform tattered from the battle, with a small device in his hand. Once he got close enough, she rolled her eyes and snatched the phone from his grasp.

"Yes?" Silence asked, slightly irritated from the interruption.

"Ah, good, you're done." Embir's cheerful voice answered. "DerLaCroix has another job for you."

Silence heaved a sigh. "And here I thought I could enjoy my victory."

"Silence," she replied in a stern voice, "you _always_ win."

"And?" Silence growled.

"Anyway," Embir ignored her. "You need to get your sexy little ass in gear and move to the valley. I'll be waiting for you there with some new recruits."

"Ooooh," Silence quivered at the idea of some new meat.

"_And_ no killing them." Empir chastised her.

"Buzz kill," Silence muttered.

* * *

_Thanks for reading guys. So, the skit is actually starring myself, _embirsiphonelilathia, and DerLaCroix. If you don't know them, then go check out their stories...they effing ROCK!

_So, any wild guesses as to who Sakura's stalker is? I kinda made it obvious lol_

_With love and Gratitude,_

_~Ell  
_


	8. Chapter Eight: Never Enough

_Hello! I'm back! Sorry it has been sooo long, but I moved again and got a job. It would have been sooner had it not been for the fact that I'm pregnant._

_I know this chapter is short, but it was pretty hard to write (which is a rather long story itself)._

_I hope you enjoy! _

_Happy Halloween!_

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters._**

* * *

**Chapter Eight:**

**Never Enough**

Pain…it was all he could feel. All he could ever remembering feeling. Every inch of his body was in agony, inside and out. It didn't matter, however, it never did; the people around him were aware of it, but ignored it like everything else. Even his siblings acted as if nothing had ever happened, but he could see it in their eyes…they despised him.

Gaara looked around the destruction before him. Citizens were either on the ground dead or wounded, running around screaming, or crying. He had been safe from the attacks, having slipped away from his brother, Naruto, and Sasuke nearly an hour before hand. They were all most likely dead, not that he cared, but it could cause a stir between his country and this one…especially if anything _did_ happen to his siblings.

He sighed heavily and closed his jade eyes. He should have just stayed home, but he was _ordered_ by his father to accompany Temari and Kankurō to this festival. That would have been easy had it not been for their "bodyguards". He certainly didn't like the Uchiha and that Naruto was just annoying. He held indifference to Sakura, but the ring she wore on her finger intrigued him; Gaara was more than sure his sister had noticed it as well. There was only one way she could have gotten it…

"Gaara!" He heard his sister scream as she ran to him from the destruction and to his spot on the bench in the cemetery. She was covered in dirt and there was a small amount of blood trickling down the side of her face and staining her blond hair. "You're safe…"

He didn't answer; he merely waited for her to reach his side.

Temari grabbed her phone from her pocket and tried to call Kankurō, he suspected, but to avail. She sighed and sank onto the bench in defeat.

"It wasn't supposed to happen this way," she choked. "Not here. Not this much death…"

Temari started crying, making Gaara even more uncomfortable. He scanned the area again and saw Kankurō coming towards them, limping and holding his arm close to his chest. Temari gasped and ran to him, embracing him in what appeared to be a rib-crushing hug. Gaara could hear her sobbing over Kankurō's groans of pain as the emotional blond pulled him to the bench for him to sit down.

As soon as he sat down, Kankurō dropped his head and fell unconscious. Temari panicked and whipped out her phone again, but dropped it as she looked up. Gaara didn't have time to look around when he heard the harsh labored breathing and the click of a gun ready to be fired from behind him.

* * *

She panicked, neither Naruto nor Sasuke were answering their phones and Sakura was left pacing beside one of the many ambulances surrounding the festival area. Back up was on the way, but not soon enough. Sakura looked down at her splinted arm and adjusted it before sneaking away from the crowd and bolting through a nearby alley, gun in hand and ignoring her minor concussion.

She needed to make sure the siblings were safe and unharmed before her personal needs were met. Sakura jumped over a low fence of the local cemetery, pausing momentarily as she jarred her broken arm. She looked over the area quickly before continuing on; she felt all the blood drain from her face as she spotted the siblings not too far off, with Sasuke standing over an unconscious Temari and pointing his gun at Gaara. Red flags were waving in her mind, but she bolted forward until she was in firing range and raised her gun at Sasuke.

"Drop it, Sasuke," her voice shook slightly, but could easily be mistaken for exhaustion.

The dark haired Uchiha turned his head to look at her, his eyebrows raised while Gaara's eyes were still trained on Sasuke. Sakura slowly moved forward, her heart hammering in her chest and her eyes burning with the threat of tears.

"_I said_ drop it, Uchiha," she repeated with venom in her voice.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, but still he didn't move.

"No." His voice was rough and sounded more like a snarl as his eyes went back to Gaara. "These three are suspects in the attack."

Sakura gaped, not believing a word he said. "Sasuke, that's ridiculous. They couldn't possibly…"

"Gaara was gone right before the bombs went off," he tightened his grip on the gun. "And I heard her mention something about it." Sasuke gestured to Temari's unconscious body on the ground as he spoke.

Sakura sighed and dropped her gun. She carefully approached Sasuke and stood between him and Gaara, not missing the heavily injured Kankurō beside the redhead. Sasuke's eyes widened and he lowered his gun, Sakura felt relief wash over as he did so, but kept a firm grip on her own gun. That is, until a pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her back, a hand placed firmly around her throat.

She heard a dark chuckle emit from behind her and the hand around her throat tightened, causing her to drop her gun and rake at the hand. Sasuke raised his gun, but kept his finger behind the trigger, worry obviously etched into his charcoal eyes.

"Gaara…please…" Sakura managed to choke out, but was only slammed hard against his chest.

The tension spiked when Gaara laughed again; he slowly released Sakura's neck, but it was instantly replaced by a sharp knife. Sakura whimpered as it cut into her skin and she felt warm droplets of blood trickle down her throat.

"Let her go," Sasuke growled.

Gaara didn't reply, he only cut Sakura deeper causing her to cry out and her knees to buckle. Her body pushed against Gaara's and the two fell to the ground; Sakura landed on her broken arm and she cradled it against her chest, praying she didn't damage it further.

As soon as Sakura shifted away, Sasuke tossed his gun away and was instantly on Gaara. She heard them struggle for a moment, but was too busy resetting her arm to see who had the upper hand. Her entire arm was just screaming in one of the worst pains she had ever felt and she began seeing double as her head throbbed, but Sakura held back from crying out and shedding any tears. Instead, she locked her jaw and turned just in time to see Sasuke pull Gaara to his feet and land a bone shattering hit to his chin, causing him to stagger backwards.

Sakura's heart sank when she saw the twisted grin on Gaara's bloodied face. His chuckle quickly rose into a demented laughter that carried into the air, his gaze shifted from Sasuke to Sakura and the dark shimmer in his jade eyes sent a chill down her spine, her skin began to crawl, and her heart skipped a beat in sheer terror. When his laughter died, he was on Sasuke in a split second, both on the ground and the sickening sound of bones breaking with every hit, though Sakura was sure the sound was from Gaara's own hand, tore through the air.

Sasuke pushed Gaara off him and launched himself at him, knocking him off his feet. Sakura began looking around for her gun and found it under the bench; just as she touched the handle of her gun, she heard Sasuke groan in pain. Sakura whipped around in time to see Gaara stand up and immediately her eyes spotted the worn brown handle of a knife sticking out of Sasuke's chest.

Sakura gasped and tried to call to him, but her voice caught in her throat when Gaara turned slowly and his eyes collided with hers. He approached her slowly and looked down at her, his gaze unreadable as he lifted Sakura to her feet, by her hair.

Sakura dared a glance at Sasuke and saw that he was still breathing, but it was shallow and uneven. Anger and worry flared within her and she met Gaara's intense gaze with one of her own and stood her ground despite her body's painful protest. He chuckled as he ran a hand through her rosette locks and gripped it firmly to bring her face mere inches from his own.

"I want you to scream," he whispered harshly.

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek to keep from whimpering, but responded in kind. "Never."

Gaara smirked and took his hand from her hair, only to raise it and slap her hard across the face. Still, Sakura held her ground, despite the sudden failure in her eye sight and intense headache.

She spat blood at his feet and smiled sickly, "is that the best you've got?"

* * *

Kakashi leapt from the helicopter and moved quickly away from the strong wind from the blades. He saw the destruction from the ride here and was devastated by what he saw; buildings were partially destroyed and bodies, either dead or alive, littered the ground. There were ambulances at every turn and the lights from every emergency vehicle lit up surrounding area in an eerie glow. Not even Sakura's call could have prepared him for this.

The thought of Sakura made him run to the door to get off the roof. As he reached it, it opened slowly and an elderly man stood on the other side, a look of bewilderment upon his aging face. He led Kakashi, Genma, Anko, and Shizune down a long flight of stairs until they reached the bottom floor. Once they entered the lobby of the old hotel, Kakashi bolted out the door and instantly began looking for Sakura's pink head; when he didn't find her, he began asking emergency personnel if they had treated an agent with pink hair and green eyes.

One of the paramedics recalled treating her for a broken arm and a minor concussion and said she tore off down an alley nearby. Kakashi instantly looked for an alley that wasn't a dead end and ran into Shikamaru, who was holding something in his hands that was heavily charred and sporting a troubled look. When he raised his eyes to meet Kakashi's, he saw worry and fear lurking behind the genius' gaze.

"Is that the bomb?" Kakashi asked, already knowing it was.

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck. "Not just that, but on some of the buildings near the blast area is the same red cloud we found at the last murder case."

Kakashi sucked in a breath and looked around. "Any word from Naruto, Sakura, or Sasuke?"

Just before Shikamaru could respond, they heard two loud shots fired from a gun fairly close by. Panic began to ripple through the crowd and screams were drowning any other sounds that would have followed. Kakashi and Shikamaru looked down the alley that led to the cemetery and both carefully made their way down it until they leaned against the low fence.

On the other side was a grim scene that made Kakashi's heart sink; lying motionless on the ground near a bench in the middle of the cemetery was four bodies, one with unmistakable pink hair. There were two figures standing, one looked like Naruto hunched over and holding a gun and the other was a redheaded male, equally beaten and inching towards Sakura's body.

"Sakura…" Kakashi whispered as he hopped over the fence and ran as quickly as he could to Naruto's side. He began to recognize the other bodies on the ground the closer he got; he saw a blond female unconscious on the ground in front of the bench, another male unconscious on the bench, and Sasuke was on his back not too far off with a knife lodged in his chest. Looking down at Sakura, he saw how horribly beaten she looked and instantly saw the black bruises on her neck and a nasty cut that looked as if it would get infected if left untreated.

Naruto didn't seem to notice Kakashi's arrival; he was focused on the demonic looking redhead standing across them, who seemed more interested in Sakura's unconscious form…looking at her with a dangerously dark gleam in his eyes. Slowly, he raised his eyes to Kakashi's gaze, a bloodthirsty smirk on his face.

"Naruto," Kakashi spoke calmly and quietly. "Lower your gun."

Naruto didn't budge, but he responded with a harsh voice. "You're just going to let him get away with what he did?"

"Lower your weapon, Naruto." Kakashi repeated.

He still didn't make any movement.

Kakashi sighed and squared his shoulders. "That's an order, Uzumaki."

Naruto's eye twitched, but he slowly lowered his weapon.

The redhead across them only smiled wider and before they could react, he bolted to the woods behind the cemetery and was out of sight. Naruto ran after him, leaving Kakashi to deal with the unconscious bodies on the ground.

"Damn kids," Kakashi cursed as he knelt beside the blond close by to check her pulse, then moved on to each of the others. All of them appeared to be alive, but in serious need of medical attention. He moved to Sasuke and had to turn away for a second before making sure he was alive; he had seen Sasuke get beaten within a mere inch of his life on many occasions, but nothing ever quite like this…

Before he could check Sakura, Shikamaru came running over with a group of paramedics trailing behind him, along with Kiba and his giant white dog, Shino, and Choji. As they reached Kakashi and the others, Kiba groaned and Choji choked. The paramedics went to each of the people unconscious and instantly began to do what they could to help.

Shikamaru shook his head as he looked at each of them. "Can we ever find these two when they aren't in bad shape?"

Kakashi knew he meant Sakura and Sasuke and silently agreed as his gaze shifted to Sakura as one of the paramedics was trying to bring her back to consciousness. He saw blood smearing her face and neck and the splint on her broken arm was cracked in several places.

"Where did Naruto go?" Shikamaru asked, his eyes on the blond who was already beginning to sit up on her own.

"He went into the woods, following the redhead." Kakashi replied as he shook his head. "Kiba. Choji. Do you think you could track Naruto and bring both him and that redhead back here?"

Kiba nodded and bolted off to the woods with Choji mumbling close behind him.

* * *

_Three days later…_

Sasuke paced in the hospital room, pausing every so often to glare at the bouquet of various roses and other flowers on the stand beside the bed. There were other bouquets and balloons in the room as well, but this particular one was from Kakashi. Sasuke felt his eye twitch and cleared his mind of those thoughts, for now.

He stopped his pacing and turned to look at Sakura sleeping in the hospital bed. Sasuke knew he had been hurt pretty bad, but the knife in his chest hadn't hit anything vital making it an easy fix. Naruto was still being held under heavy watch do to his own injuries, much like Sakura. Sasuke sat in the chair beside the bed and slipped her small hand into his own; he brought her delicate hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to it.

Sasuke had already read her medical report, having sneaking a peak at it when the nurse walked out. Sakura had a more serious concussion, after it had been noted that she had already been treated for a minor one, her broken arm had been cracked in three other places surrounding the break, two broken ribs, and three cracked ribs. She had been badly beaten, but it looked as if she had stood her ground. Sasuke had never been so worried, proud, and angry at someone at the same time in his life.

He moved her pink hair away from her face and caressed her check. There were no traces of tear stains upon her face, even over the slight bruising. His gaze fell to her swollen lips and he brushed over them lightly with his thumb, the urge to kiss her was too great for his own good…

As he leaned forward, Sakura's eyes fluttered open and met his gaze. She didn't seem to see him right away, but she squeezed his hand and whispered his name, sending his heart soaring. He slowly backed away from her and waited for her to look over to him; she groaned loudly in pain as she tried to sit up and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Where am I?" She spoke barely above a whisper.

"Tonomachi Matsue city," he answered softly, running his thumb in circles over her hand. "You and Naruto were in too bad condition to move."

Sakura coughed, followed by a whimper. "What about Gaara and the others?"

He sighed. "They were treated for their wounds and are currently being questioned back at headquarters. Gaara, however, is still here under heavy surveillance."

Her beautiful emerald eyes sparkled and Sasuke had to suck in a sharp breath of air. Even when she looked as fragile and broken, she was still breathtakingly beautiful. He reached up and ran a hand over her pink tresses, memorizing the feel of how soft it was.

"Sakura," Sasuke leaned forward, "I…"

"Sakura!" Sasuke looked up and saw Ino at the doorway, tears running down her face.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the interruption and quickly backed away from Sakura. He supposed it could wait until he was sure they were alone…

"Oh Sakura!" Ino ran into the room and went to throw her arms around her friend's neck, but stopped short at the death glare Sasuke gave her. "Every time I get a call about you, you're in the hospital."

Sakura smiled weakly at Ino, but it didn't last. Sasuke saw the exhaustion on her face and new she needed more rest, but he also knew her well enough that she would rather be checking up on Naruto. He squeezed her hand gently, letting her know that he knew what she was thinking.

Ino stood there, looking between the two of them with a smirk on her face.

Sasuke stood and cleared his throat; he decided it would be best if he left. He gave one more reassuring look to Sakura before he left the room and walked down the depressing hallway. He ignored the nurses and patients as he maneuvered through the crowd and made his way to Naruto's room.

As he made his way to the other end of the hospital, he thought of the fire that had sparked in Sakura's eyes as she defended Gaara and it was at that moment that he realized how close alike those two really looked. Sasuke knew Sakura never knew who her father was, but he never saw her dig to find out who he was…

His thoughts were cut short as he reached Naruto's room; through the window, he saw his blond friend unconscious and surrounded by monitors. There was a breathing machine attached to his face and quite a few nurses hovering over him, fussing over anything and everything. Down the hall, there were policemen guarding a door and Sasuke knew Gaara was being held in there with more cops, machines, and nurses.

No one really knew what had happened between Gaara and Naruto. By the time Kiba and Choji had gotten there, they said that both of them were already knocked out and in rough shape. Both of them had been put into a medically induced coma to help the healing process and wouldn't be released for at least another two weeks.

Sasuke was more than positive he wouldn't be allowed in the room, so he just made his way out of the hospital and to the nearest bar.

* * *

_So...was it any good? The next chapter several chapters are going to be a-m-a-z-i-n-g (now that the boring stuff is out of the way). However, there is still a lot of the emotional turmoil going on. _

_With love and gratitude,_

_~Ell_


	9. Chapter Nine: Not Meant For Me

_Sorry about the late, but I rarely have any free time. I wish it was longer, but I am terribly ill and all I want to do is crawl into bed and sleep until summer, but that isn't possible because my baby is due in May...and for many other reasons. _

_Hope you enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or it's characters._

* * *

**Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office**

**Chapter Nine: Not Meant For Me**

Kakashi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He looked into his empty shot glass, willing it to fill itself so he wouldn't have to communicate with the bartender. He tapped the bar hard with his fingers, bringing the bartender over and filling his glass once again. Kakashi ran his fingers over the side of the shot glass, pausing momentarily to remind himself why he was here in the first place.

He had heard Sakura woke up, but he had yet to see her. Sasuke had not left her side and he was not in the mood to deal with the moody Uchiha. He figured the flowers he bought her were enough to show he cared.

With that last thought, he brought the glass to his lips, savoring the smell of the warm sake before swallowing the plum liquor. He felt the liquid drain down his throat and instantly the warmth of the alcohol spread to his face and soon his entire body. He closed his eyes and set the glass down, willing the sake to help him forget why he hadn't returned to Tokyo.

He tapped the bar again. One more shot and he would return to his hotel room.

Someone had taken the seat beside him and he glanced to the side to see the very person he did not wish to see. He held up two fingers to the elderly bartender, who set a glass in front of him and filled both of them with the warm sake.

The two sat in silence, neither touching their glasses and the tension growing.

"How is she?" Kakashi finally asked, his voice quiet.

Sasuke visibly tensed, and he gripped his glass. "Better."

Silence settled over them once again as they both drank at the same time. Kakashi felt eyes on him so he looked over at the Uchiha, his black eyes narrowing on him, though he said nothing. Kakashi recognized the familiar glint in the young man's eyes as jealousy and understanding dawned on him.

"You love her," Kakashi mused and smiled slightly.

Sasuke grunted, "I'm not the only one."

Kakashi's smile fell and the two stared each other down, unaware that the bartender had filled both of their glasses. Without breaking eye contact, Kakashi and Sasuke both lifted their glasses and drank the warm liquid.

Feeling he had indeed had enough to drink, Kakashi stood and paid his tab. He was aware of the sharp glare on his back as he left the bar, but didn't stop to acknowledge it. Between the two of them, he knew who would be the center of the pinkette's affection…

* * *

He stood over her, admiring the way the moon danced over her sleeping form. It was a relief to know she had lived through the blast. He trailed his fingers lightly up her arm and brushed the pink hair out of her face. She shifted slightly and pressed her face deeper into his hand, causing a slight smile to grace his lips.

He traced her lips with his thumb. She mumbled something in her sleep, but it was much too quiet for him to hear. He longed for his name to pass through her lips, but it would have to wait. His smile twisted at the thought of her screaming his name, whether it be from pleasure or pain, he didn't care.

His eyes memorized every line on her face and the softness of her hair, ignoring the marks and bruises marring his beautiful cherry blossom's face and body. His eyes hardened and he swore to make that Sabaku pay for laying a hand on what was his, the same to that Uchiha brat.

She stirred again, bringing him from his thoughts. He pulled a single red rose from his jacket and placed it in her hand, the black ribbon around the stem brushing against her wrist. Her lips trembled slightly and he wondered how her lips tasted…

Slowly, his face dipped closer to hers. He looked up at her closed eyes momentarily before closing the remaining distance between them. He felt a surge through his entire body as he felt the softness of her swollen lips. He tested his luck by pushing against her, wanting to hear moan from his kiss, wanting her to want him in every way possible…good and bad. In her sleep, she responded in kind and a soft purr emitted from her throat.

He smiled darkly into the kiss, wanting her to know she was his. He nipped at her lip before withdrawing and straightening up. He watched her eyes flutter and he quickly left, unaware of the startled emerald gaze that followed him.

_Soon,_ he thought to himself as he exited the hospital completely unseen. He stopped to look up at her window and touched his lips. _Soon, my cherry blossom. My Sakura._

He followed the dark alleys back to his ride, aware that the next time they met, she would be the one seeking him out.

* * *

Sakura huffed in annoyance. She had told them all a thousand times what she had seen, but they all assured her he hadn't left his room. She glared at the nurses surrounding her bed and finally to the doctor checking her vitals. They all accused her of being delirious, but she knew it was real…she could still feel his lips…

She looked out the window, not caring as the nurses filed out and ignoring the doctor as he said something about a different medication before he too left.

Sakura continued to stare out the window, her thoughts drifting back to what had happened only hours before the nurses came running in to find her on the floor in the hallway. She was trying to follow Gaara and confront him, but her body was too weak to support her body. She had told them that she hadn't seen his face, but there was only one person she knew with wild red hair like that.

The sun was reaching the window now and she fingered the black ribbon tied around the rose in her hands. Sakura absently touched her lips and a she made a sound of distress. She needed to know what Gaara wanted and why he had kissed her the way he had…

She heard footsteps stop at her door and looked to see Sasuke watching her closely. When their eyes collided, Sasuke was at her side in seconds and gathered her into his arms; he pressed a kiss against her temple and wiped away the tears she didn't know she was shedding. She felt him stiffen and knew he had spotted the rose in her hands, but she pressed into him further ignoring the sharp pain in her sides.

After Sasuke had calmed down, Sakura told him what she had experienced and winced as he grew livid when she recalled the kiss. She fell silent and dared to look into his eyes, finding that they were focused on the door and colder than she had ever seen them. Veins were popping out of his forehead and neck as he clenched his jaw together and his grip on Sakura tightened.

She whimpered slightly from the pain and he released his hold on her instantly. When she looked into his eyes again, they were on her and with a softness that made her blush. He took the rose from her hands and set it on the table, only to grab both of her hands in his. He kissed each of her finger tips and pressed them against his cheek; her heart fluttered and she couldn't fight the smile that touched her lips. She felt like a child again, fighting the butterflies in her stomach as he kissed her palms and wrists.

Sasuke caressed her cheek with his own hand and traced her lips with his thumb, much like Gaara had and with the same gentleness. This thought sobered Sakura and she tore her gaze from Sasuke's; she shivered at the thought of the vicious redhead touching her as if he cared for her…

"He won't touch you again," Sasuke growled into her ear, nuzzling her cheek with his nose. "I promise."

Sakura sighed and relief washed over her; she wasn't sure why she believed him, but for this moment, she wanted to believe that Sasuke would always be at her side.

Sasuke had stayed with her the entire day, even when she had fallen asleep and woke later in the day; he was standing by the window, his eyes closed and his arms crossed over his chest with the rose in one hand and the black ribbon in the other. She studied his face and saw the stress lines marring his beautiful face; Sakura realized he was trying to remain calm for her benefit and it touched her.

Quietly, she pulled the covers off her and swung her legs over the side of the bed. With a deep breath and a quick tug on her IVs, she pushed herself onto her feet. Sakura swayed slightly and stumbled over to Sasuke, her knees trembling under her weight and her broken ribs throbbing against her lungs. She wrapped her arms around him, smiling slightly as he tensed and relaxed in her grip. She felt his arms wrap around her and a kiss planted on the top of her head.

She sighed into his chest, taking in his smell and smiled. Despite everything, this one moment was perfect…that is, until a cough at the door interrupted them.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the nurse in the doorway, unwilling to unwind herself from tangled mess her and Sasuke found themselves in. She heard Sasuke sigh and pouted when he pulled her to the bed, an amused smirk on his lips as he forced her to sit down.

* * *

Gaara stared out the window, his thoughts a storm as he recalled what that blonde agent yelled at him and then to the pink haired one that stood to protect him, then fought him with just as much vigor. She intrigued him, but not as much as that ring on finger her did. He knew that ring well, but had only seen it few times as a child; to see it on that agent's hand drove him into a frenzy of rage and confusion.

A couple of nurses entered his room, though cautious as they all had been. He didn't blame them, what he had done would strike fear into anyone with a weak constitution. He allowed them to do their jobs, though he watched them out of the corner of his eye. They began to gossip quietly and Gaara rolled his eyes, but listened as he heard them mention the pink haired agent's name.

"I'm not kidding," the one scoffed quietly. "She said he came to her room and kissed her of all things. She has a rather big ego; she isn't even that attractive…"

Gaara narrowed his eyes and grabbed the nurse's arm, twisting the flesh slightly.

"Who visited her?" His voice was eerily calm, even to his own ears.

She traded a glance with other nurse and chewed on her lip nervously. "She said you did."

He loosened his grip, but did not let her go.

"She said she didn't see your face, but your hair was unmistakable." The nurse squeaked as he let her arm go and stared at his lap.

Interesting that she would see _him kiss her_. He had a feeling he knew who it actually was, but he had one more question for her.

"Was there a rose in her room with a black ribbon tied to it?" He raised his gaze and smirked when she nodded.

His sister used to receive the same gift, but they stopped coming almost abruptly. It seems his sister's old stalker had found a new obsession and was being far more daring than he used to be. There were many people residing in his homeland, few with red hair and even fewer that looked similar to himself. His family never learned the identity of his sister's stalker; the pink haired agent might be of use in finding him.

As the nurses scurried out of the room, strange looks tossed at him from over their shoulders, but he ignored them. He settled back into the bed and closed his eyes, the beginnings of a small smile tugging at his lips; how interesting was it that of all faces she could put to her stalker, it was his she placed without question. He began to wonder at her reasoning behind her conclusion and decided that he would find a way to ask her himself.

A knock at the door brought him out of his reverie. He felt his face fall as he straightened and watched as the door slowly opened, revealing Baki with an anxious look on his face. The old man rushed to his side and sat in the chair beside the bed; he looked older than usual and his face was a mask of stress.

"You have no idea how hard it was to get in here," Baki rolled his eyes and glared at the door.

Gaara watched him, but didn't respond.

"You're brother and sister are on a flight home," he said quietly. "You have all been cleared of any connection to the attack." Baki sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "However, you are being held here for your assault on the Naichō agents. I have informed them of your…um…condition, but they would still like to question you once you are stable enough to be moved."

Gaara inwardly laughed at how his schizophrenia, among other psychiatric disabilities, were so casually addressed. He was aware of how uncomfortable Baki was under his gaze, though he didn't find as much joy in it as he usually did.

"There is something else," Baki's head dropped and his voice shook slightly, this caused Gaara sit up slightly and grip his blanket unnecessarily. "Your father, he was found dead in his study. It was murder…"

Gaara stared at his hands. He wasn't surprised that he felt nothing for his father's death; the man had been cruel to him his entire life and he held no form of love for him. Though, it was a shock that he was killed in his own home.

"Who did it?" Gaara asked in his usual tone.

Baki nervously scratched the back of his neck. "We saw the footage from the security camera and it seems it was Orchimaru."

Gaara's gaze snapped to Baki and he growled low.

"It seems there is going to be a war soon." Baki continued. "The Akatsuki are active again and there have been repeated reports of Sasori in this area—"

Gaara sucked in a sharp breath at the mention of Sasori. He narrowed his eyes dangerously and looked at Baki with more seriousness than he ever did.

"I need you to do something," his voice was low and menacing. "There is an agent here by the name of Sakura Haruno. I need you to find her and inform her that she may be in danger."

Baki looked at him, puzzled by the Sabaku's sudden concern.

"I believe the man that entered her room and left her that rose was Sasori."

The old man shook his head. "Why would he have an interest in her?"

Gaara smirked. _Why wouldn't he?_

* * *

_I'll try to have the next chapter up sooner and with far more content. Though it looks as if things are heating up. I would love to hear your theories on what is happening, so please review. It makes it far more fun to write when I get reviews. _

_With love and gratitude, _

_~Ell_


	10. Chapter Ten: White Knuckles

Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office

Chapter Ten: White Knuckles

Sasuke stretched his tired and stiff limbs, careful not wake the sleeping form leaning against him. He looked down at her and moved a stray strand of pink hair from her peaceful and fully healed face, unaware of the smile that touched his lips and the cerulean eyes that sparkled with amusement from the other side of Sakura.

He hadn't paid much attention to how long it had taken both Sakura and Naruto, though he was still in rough shape, to heal enough to return to Tokyo, not that he cared; Sasuke was just happy to be heading home.

Sasuke looked out the window and watched the various houses and trees zip by, absently rubbing Sakura's arm with his thumb. He refused to let her be anywhere but his side, being extra cautious around Gaara, who was in the car behind their own.

Thinking of the redhead caused Sasuke to tighten his hold on Sakura slightly and possessively slipped his hand over hers; he couldn't get the look Gaara had given her out of his head; when they were entering the waiting cars, the way his unreadable seafoam eyes raked over her as she hugged Naruto and yelled at him for being reckless. Sakura hadn't seen Gaara and denied what Sasuke saw when he told her, believing that he was watching Naruto instead.

"She looks so cute," Naruto stated in an amused tone. "Doesn't she, Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked over at his old friend and saw a fox grin on his face. Naruto was the only one that seemed to be able to read him like an open book, other than Kakashi. He knew of Sasuke's feelings for Sakura before Sasuke knew it himself and had always teased him about being a coward about it.

"I don't understand why you don't just ask her," he shrugged and eyed their driver. "Unless you did and are keeping it to yourself…"

Sasuke smirked and trailed his fingers up her arm. "You're being ridiculous, dope."

Naruto scoffed and turned so he was looking Sasuke dead in the eye. "I am? You haven't let her go since she got into the hospital. I've heard stories…"

His friend laughed loudly, startling Sakura awake. Sasuke glared at Naruto as she sat up, pulling out of Sasuke's grip with a deep red face. Naruto laughed harder at the look on her face, earning him a punch to the arm and a series of sharp words. The scene put a smile on Sasuke's face, reminding him of their childhood together and how simple everything was…

Sakura stretched suddenly and made a sound of pleasure; Sasuke ran his eyes over her body, wishing he could see her do so without clothing. Images of Sakura naked and writhing beneath him, moaning in pleasure filled Sasuke's mind; he gripped the door tightly and clenched his jaw, pushing the thoughts away…for now.

"How much longer do we have to sit in this car?" Sakura asked, her voice soft from her exhaustion.

"At least another hour," Sasuke answered stiffly, his eyes trained to stare out the window.

Sasuke felt Sakura rest her head on his shoulder and slip her arm through his, lacing her fingers with his. He welcomed her warmth and looked down at her, her emerald eyes searching his until they fluttered slightly and she fell right back to sleep.

* * *

Kakashi walked along the edge of the cliff, his thoughts acting more like the crashing waves below him. He stopped and faced the restless water, his shoes inches from the edge. Sometimes, he wished he had the courage to take that last step forward, but in doing that, he wouldn't be any better than his father.

His thoughts stopped when he heard a car pull up beside his bike and stop. Kakashi didn't have to turn around to know it was Gai; the crazy bastard always knew where to find him. Gai reached his side and remained silent, which was unlike the martial expert.

He chanced a glance at Gai and saw he wore his usual hideous green suit and his hair was always worn in the same bowl style. Though of all things, Kakashi could never get passed his thick eyebrows…

"Naruto and the others are back," he spoke quietly. "The Sabaku is being questioned."

Kakashi nodded, still unable to find his voice.

His thoughts turned to Sakura and felt himself frown. The man known as Baki had approached him about Gaara's conclusion and it put him at unease. He was skeptical that Sasori would target Sakura in such an intimate fashion; his only cause would be Sakura's accomplishment of finding a cure for his poison, a feat that had been published in many medical journals. Kakashi had spoken to Tsunade about this and he could only assume that she was the one questioning Gaara about it, and he could only hope that there would be more answers.

Kakashi looked back at Gai, who seemed just as lost in his thoughts. A sea of emotion glittering in his eyes and Kakashi knew that he would explode sooner or later.

"Why are you here, Gai," Kakashi asked in a bored tone, facing him.

Gai turned and smiled. "Do I need a reason to hunt down my old rival?"

_Ugh…_Kakashi inwardly groaned. For years Gai had been calling him that and Kakashi didn't even know, nor did he care, what it was about. He just wanted it to stop.

Before he could answer, Kakashi heard footsteps stop behind them. He looked over his shoulder and saw two men, both tall and clad in all black. They both wore hats to hide their faces, but Kakashi caught the blue hue of tattooed skin from the taller one and his eyes hardened.

_Dumbass_. Kakashi thought to himself as he turned around, side glancing at Gai who had grown rigid at the sight of the two Akatsuki members before them.

"Itachi," Kakashi inclined his head to the shorter man across from him.

"Kakashi," his calm and collective voice responded.

* * *

Sakura ran through the halls of the hospital, her heart hammering in her chest. She panicked as she got closer to intensive care, tears stinging her eyes but she ignored them.

She had been sitting in her home with Ino when she got the call about Kakashi and his condition. She only hoped he was in better shape than what she was told…she hoped they had exaggerated.

Sakura skidded to a halt and her breath caught in her throat. The small room was crowded with machines and nurses, there were police standing against the wall, questioning the doctor. Sakura pushed her way into the room, ignoring the protests of the nurses and whimpered at the sight of her old mentor and dear friend. His face was covered in bandages and what wasn't, was badly bruised; he was strapped to the bed and there were deep lacerations on his wrist. Tears freely fell from her eyes and she felt her heart shatter when she touched his hand. A sob ripped from her throat and only one question burned in her mind.

"Who did this?" She growled low, sounding more like a wild animal.

The nurses looked at Sakura, alarmed and startled.

Sakura felt her eye twitch and her anger spiked; did they not care that Kakashi's life was on the line? Did they not care that who did this was most likely still out there? She repeated her question, each word spoken with more venom than the last. "Who. Did. This?"

"Sakura." She heard a harsh female snap from the doorway.

She snapped her head up and glared at Tsunade through her wet lashes, standing over Kakashi protectively. The blonde woman stood unfazed by the pinkette's anger, her eyes red from unshed tears and the worry pressed firmly in her aging face. Sakura dropped her eyes to Kakashi's face and pushed his silver hair from his broken face. She missed Tsunade snatching his medical report from the doctor's hands and was barely aware of her standing on the other side of the bed.

"He's in a medically induced coma." She read aloud. "It seems he had to be strapped to the bed because he wouldn't stop fighting the nurses." Tsunade laughed, but it sounded sad and half-hearted. "He will never change…"

Sakura smiled sadly, her eyes still on Kakashi as he slept, unaware of their presence.

"He wasn't alone," Tsunade said quietly. "Maito Gai was there, too. He wasn't in as bad of shape as Kakashi here and he willingly told us who was responsible."

Sakura looked at Tsunade, trying her best to calm herself as she waited to hear the name of the asshole she would maiming, but all she heard was the blood rushing in her ears.

Tsunade looked at the doorway briefly before looking carefully into Sakura's eyes, before taking in a deep breath and whispering, "Itachi Uchiha."

Sakura sucked in a sharp breath and closed her eyes. Her mind was a storm of thoughts as she thought of Kakashi, then to Sasuke; once Sasuke learned that his brother was close, he wouldn't rest until his brother was dead…

Saddened, Sakura looked to Tsunade and saw tears threatening to escape, but she kept herself poised enough not to cry. The two stood beside Kakashi in silence, the only sounds coming from the machines hooked up to him and the nurses shuffling passed the room. Soon, they could hear Naruto yelling down the hall and Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, knowing Sasuke would be close behind.

She didn't look up when she heard Naruto gasp at the doorway and she winced when she felt a pair of eyes burn her skin. Sakura felt Sasuke's presence beside her and refused to meet his gaze, scared that he would know just by looking at her.

"I'll kill whoever did this," Sakura heard Naruto and saw him gripping the bed with white knuckles. "I'll find them and I'll rip them to pieces."

"Naruto," Tsunade said calmly, "that isn't necessary. We know who did it."

"Then why aren't you doing anything about it?" Naruto shouted, his voice echoed down the hall and was only followed by a sob that escaped Sakura.

"We are doing the best we can," Tsunade snarled. "It's harder than you think to track this one down."

"It was him," Sasuke stated, his voice cold. "It was Itachi."

"Yes," Tsunade replied quietly.

Sakura swore the temperature dropped in the room and dared to look at Sasuke; his hard eyes locked onto Kakashi. She slipped her hand into his and squeezed it gently, catching his attention. Sasuke looked at Sakura, but didn't seem to be seeing her; he looked lost in his thoughts and Sakura was worried he would be thinking about the offer that was given to him.

Sakura felt her stomach grow cold at the thought of losing anyone else in her life. Both Sasuke and Kakashi had played large roles in her life and she felt her heart already twisting as they began to slip away from her…

"I want you three to go home and get some rest," Tsunade ordered. Sakura and Naruto were about to protest, but stopped when she held up her hand and silenced them. "None of you will be of any use in your current conditions. Now go home, all of you."

No one made a move to leave.

"Now." She barked out and slowly, they each left the room in defeated silence.

Sakura felt Sasuke's inner turmoil as he followed her to her car; she assumed he had come with Naruto and didn't question why he chose to come with her. Naruto waved slightly to the two before he left in the opposite direction, his head bowed as he took out his phone. She welcomed the company as she climbed into the driver's seat of her car and waited for Sasuke to get settled before she started it and began the quiet ride home. It didn't take long, since Sakura lived nearby.

Slowly, the two made their way inside and stood in the house with an awkward silence; Sasuke stood in the kitchen, watching Sakura closely as she fixed them both a stiff drink. She kept herself busy for that brief moment before she turned and nearly spilled both of the drinks all over Sasuke's chest. She gasped loudly and mumbled an apology, but it went unheard as he took both of drinks from her hands and set them on the counter, clearly ignoring his wet shirt.

Sakura looked up into Sasuke's eyes and her heart leapt into her throat from the intensity he was burning her with. He lifted a hand to her face and smoothed away the wetness under her eyes; his other hand snaked up her arm and pushed the hair out of her face, before cradling the back of her head.

Her heart hammered in her chest as he lowered his face to hers, pausing momentarily to fan his hot breath over her face, causing her eyes to flutter shut. His lips brushed hers softly at first, before he pressed into her harder. He kissed her slowly, his mouth moving over her own in a nearly possessive manner. Sakura responded eagerly, after she got over her shock; she slowly snaked her arms up his chest and locked them around his neck. Sakura pushed herself into him, which only pulled him off balance and pinned her to the counter. A dull pain shot up Sakura's back, but she quickly forgot about it as Sasuke nibbled on her bottom lip.

As Sakura felt her lungs scream for air, Sasuke pulled his lips away and rested his forehead against her own. Both of their breaths came out rapid and haggard; she could feel him entangle one of his hands in her hair and rub the back of her head with his thumb. Sakura's eyes fluttered open and she saw Sasuke watching her closely, his onyx eyes smoldering her with more intensity she had ever seen in them and a small smile was tugging at his lips.

"Finally," he mumbled and Sakura let out an involuntary giggle.

Sasuke smirked and placed a soft kiss on her forehead as he pulled away. He placed a hand on her cheek and Sakura saw an emotion dwell inside his eyes that unsettled her and tugged at her heartstrings.

She lowered her eyes to his now soaked shirt and nearly choked on a sob that was threatening her as she remembered why she was so distressed. Without another word, Sakura gripped the hem of his shirt and tugged it over his head; with a soft smile and a deep blush, she quickly made her way to the laundry room and tossed his shirt in the washer. After she heard the door lock and the water start, Sakura returned to her kitchen and went rigid when she saw Sasuke leaning against the counter, a glass in each hand and a smirk gracing his lips as he watched her move.

Sakura led the way to her living room and sat on her couch, biting her lip as Sasuke took the seat beside her after handing her her glass and slipping an arm around her shoulders. Desperately trying not to blush anymore, she quickly snatched up her remote and flipped through the channels on her television, hoping to find something to distract her from…well…everything.

They sat in silence as Sakura settled for an action film. She held her glass in front of her, sipping it from time to time and occasionally side-glancing at Sasuke, who looked far too deep in thought for her comfort. At some point in the night, Sakura found herself snuggled closely into Sasuke's chest, her drink long forgotten on the coffee table. She could feel Sasuke playing with her hair and smiled softly to herself; she yawned and closed her eyes for a moment.

She felt Sasuke brush her hair away from her eyes and kiss her forehead; if it weren't for recent events, Sakura was convinced that things might actually be looking up. The thought of _finally_ being with Sasuke warmed her and sent her heart fluttering in her chest. A smile touched her lips and she unconsciously ran her hand across his chest.

"What are you smiling about?" Sasuke muttered into her hair, his tone dripping with amusement.

Sakura giggled and lifted her head so that she could look him in the eye. Her breath caught in her throat and she felt herself blush, completely entranced by the dark pools. She was aware her mouth was trying to form a reply, but her voice seemed to have failed her.

"It's not polite to stare, Sakura," he breathed and brushed his lips against hers. "It's getting late."

"Hmmm…" Sakura mumbled, barely registering what he had said.

Sasuke shifted slightly as he shut off the television and slipped an arm under her legs, so that he could cradle her against his chest as he stood and made his way to her bedroom. Sakura remained silent, opting for watching the muscles in his chest and arms tighten and relax with every movement he made. Before he reached her bed, Sakura reached up and kissed Sasuke's collarbone. As Sasuke placed Sakura gently on her bed, Sakura made a soft sound of protest and watched as he slipped each of her shoes off her feet and set them on floor. He leaned over her and went to kiss her forehead, but Sakura rested her hand on his forearm and squeezed it gently to get his attention.

Taking in a deep breath and meeting his eyes, Sakura pleaded with him in a soft voice. "Please, stay here tonight."

Sasuke took in sharp breath and smirked. After a few quiet moments, he leaned down and placed each of his hands on both sides of her head, bringing himself closer to Sakura's lips.

"I planned on it," he replied huskily.

Before Sakura could thank him, or respond in any form, before Sasuke claimed her mouth in a heated and dominate kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he placed himself above her and deepened the kiss. She arched her back as he slipped a hand up her shirt, softly massaging her side as his fingers brushed the fabric of her bra. Sasuke broke their kiss and smiled against Sakura's mouth when he pushed her bra up and gently ran his thumb over her rosy bud, earning him a sharp gasp. Sakura quivered under his touch and raked her nails down his back, gnawing at her bottom hip when he kissed his way up her jaw and nibbled on her earlobe.

Sakura made a small sound of dismay as Sasuke pulled away from her slowly and tugged her shirt off and tossed it aside, closely followed by her bra. Sasuke captured her mouth once again in a heated kiss, softly playing with each nipple; Sakura mewed as he tantalized and teased her body slowly, taking his time roaming her body with his hands and kissing a trail down her throat, nibbling on her sensitive flesh every so often. A burning hot desire washed over her as Sasuke took one of her nipples in his mouth and nibbled on it gently; Sakura sucked in a sharp breath and arched her back. An aching throb pooled between her legs as he kissed a path between her breasts and took the other nipple into his mouth, biting this one slightly harder than the last; she bucked her hips in surprise and Sasuke growled low against her flesh.

She fluttered her eyes and ran her fingers through his hair, not realizing her breath was coming out short and haggard. She felt the blood rush to her head as one of his hands unbuttoned her pants and slip under her panties. Before she cried out, Sasuke quickly reclaimed her mouth and gently massaged her folds and sending waves of pleasure through her body. Sakura's eyes rolled back into her head and her hips began to mimic his fingers, until he slipped one inside her; Sakura gripped his shoulders tightly and shuddered as she felt herself squeeze his finger. Sasuke groaned slightly as he pulled his finger back out, only to put in two just as slowly. Sakura's body tensed and her breath caught in her throat, she could feel her blood race through her veins though she wasn't entirely sure how her heart was even beating. Sasuke kissed her repeatedly, peppering her face and neck as he began sliding his fingers in and out of her in steady rhythm. As soon as Sakura was sure she was going to lose herself, Sasuke pulled his fingers out of her and she soon found him watching her closely, an unreadable expression on his face; she didn't get to dwell on it as he quickly pulled her pants and underwear off of her and threw them aside.

Sakura felt her face heat up and began to feel self-conscious as Sasuke took in her naked body, his eyes impossibly dark when they finally met her own. She watched as he quickly discarded his own jeans and boxers, tossing them aside and climbing back over her.

He kissed her feverishly and she sensed a hunger in him that she had never experienced before. He rubbed the back of his hand across her face as he pulled away and looked deeply into her eyes, he seemed to be pleading to her for something and before Sakura knew it, she nodded stiffly. Sasuke spread her legs with his knee and nestled himself against her; Sakura felt his hardness push against her and she tensed. As he pushed into her, Sakura gripped the sheets of her bed and bit her tongue to keep from crying out; she could feel every bit of him as he slowly sheathed himself inside her. Sasuke sucked in a sharp breath and mumbled something under his breath; once she was sure he was completely in, neither of them moved. Sakura struggled to relax, but her walls involuntarily clenched and Sasuke trembled; he stifled a moan as he slowly began to thrust himself into an achingly slow pace. Small sounds of pleasure escaped Sakura's lips as she began to relax and move with Sasuke; she clung to him, digging her nails in to his back and arms, as he began to pick up the pace. A pleasure she hardly knew began to take over her body and she heard the blood rushing in her ears; Sakura moaned loudly as Sasuke lifted one of her legs over his shoulder and slammed into her.

"Sa-asuke," Sakura cried out and white knuckled the sheets.

Sasuke growled in her ear and bit her neck hard and sucked on the flesh between his teeth, slamming even harder into her and causing Sakura to scream out in a mixture of pain and sheer pleasure. She felt a growing pressure inside herself and it was becoming too much; she whimpered as she willed for her release and as if reading her mind, Sasuke lifted her other leg over his shoulder and began slamming into her at a bruising pace. Still the pressure grew within Sakura, despite her biting her own wrist to muffle her cries, though she felt it reach its peak as Sasuke groaned loudly and within a few more thrusts, Sakura tightened around Sasuke and her eyes began to water as ecstasy washed over her and warmth spread inside her.

Sasuke dropped Sakura's legs and collapsed on top of her, breathing hard and placing butterfly kisses along her shoulder. He kissed a trail up her neck and met her lips; Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck and her heart slowed to a steady pace.

"You're so beautiful," Sasuke mumbled against her lips.

Sakura smiled and her heart soared after hearing him say that. She parted her lips to respond, but at that moment, Sasuke pulled himself out of her and Sakura gasped loudly from the action. Once Sasuke was beside her, he gathered her in his arms buried his head in her hair. Unable to move and feeling more relaxed and happy than she had in long time, Sakura closed her eyes and smiled.

"Good night, my sweet blossom," she barely heard Sasuke whisper into her ear before she fell asleep.

* * *

Sasuke pulled on his pants and tied his shoes, careful not to wake the sleeping form on the bed. He looked down at her again and sighed, he would much rather be holding her and be there when she woke up, but he knew that couldn't happen. He knelt beside the bed and brushed her hair away from her eyes, memorizing every detail of her pale face and the perfect curve of her lips; he placed a soft kiss on her forehead and ignored the stabbing pain gnawing at his heart as he pulled away from her. He took in a deep breath and set a small velvet box on her nightstand, along with a small folded letter to the beauty still sleeping on the bed.

He ran a hand through his hair and quietly left her room. Sasuke looked down at his still bare torso, just realizing that his shirt was in Sakura's washer, and sighed. Thankfully, he had left his sweatshirt here the last time he had late night here and snatched it off of the coat hook beside the door and put it on as he walked out the door, into the cool night, and shut the door silently behind him. He walked down the sidewalk for a bit, clearing his mind of the second thoughts that plagued him, before he pulled out his cell phone and called a taxi to take him home.

He didn't have to wait long as a small yellow taxi turned onto the same road and slowed to the stop just before the house he was standing in front of. After climbing in back and giving the address to his home, Sasuke stared out the window and ran through his head why he was doing this in the first place; he had to stop his brother and he knew Tsunade wasn't going to allow him to do so. It had to be him…

Sasuke rubbed his temples and willed himself to ignore the pain he was feeling, telling himself that this had to happen and that _she_ would be safe, Kakashi and Naruto wouldn't allow anything to harm her. The thought of Kakashi being anywhere near Sakura caused Sasuke to grab a fistful of his own hair and glare daggers at the seat in front of him; he knew the look in that old man's eyes whenever he looked at the rosette beauty, it was the same look Sasuke gave her, they felt the same about her…

The sudden stop of the taxi took Sasuke from his thoughts and he automatically grabbed his wallet and gave the driver more than what he had to and left with vehicle without looking back. He walked into his home, after fiddling with the lock, and immediately went to his room. Sasuke grabbed the bag that sat next to his closet and began filling it with clothes, his stash of cash that he kept for emergencies, and after a moment of thought and self-hatred, the box of pictures of Sakura he kept hidden in his closet. The final item he grabbed was his gun and extra ammo and set that on top on everything; he zipped up his bag and headed to his bathroom for a quick shower.

Quickly, he stripped off his clothes after turning on the hot water and jumped under it, allowing all the water to flatten his hair and run down his back. His thoughts ventured back to Sakura and he felt himself harden; he cursed silently and wrenched his shampoo off of the shelf and put a little bit into his hair. He grabbed his body soap and lathered it over his body, hissing in pain as it ran over his back; he ignored the pain and finished his shower. Sasuke shut off the water and grabbed the black towel hanging beside his shower and dried off; curiosity got the better of him and he looked over his back through the mirror, a smirk touched his lips as he saw the deep scratches marring his back, they weren't deep enough to scar but part of him wished they were…

Shaking his head, Sasuke finished drying off and walked to his room to change into fresh clothes; he donned a pair of dark jeans and a black tee shirt, pulled on his sweatshirt, and tied on his shoes before grabbing his back and leaving his house without a second glance backwards. He tossed his bag into the passenger seat and hopped into the driver's seat, turned on the vehicle, and was on his way to the metro station.

* * *

Sakura woke with start, realizing the space beside her was empty and cold. She sat up quickly, a hand holding her blanket over her naked breasts, and looked around her small room; she noticed that his clothes were gone and there was a small velvet box on her nightstand, along with a folded piece of paper. Her stomach dropped as her fingers brushed the box as she grabbed the paper and unfolded it, she turned on the lamp beside her bed and looked over the neat handwriting that undeniably belonged to Sasuke.

_ Sakura,_

_This ring belonged to my mother. I want you to have it. _

_I love you, _

_Sasuke._

Sakura dropped the note and tears began to blur her vision. In a fury of movement, she hopped out of the bed and ran over to her dresser; she tossed on a pair of black shorts and a red tank top before darting out of her room and skidding to a stop in her kitchen. She snatched her purse off of the counter, slipped on the flip flops she kept beside the front door, and bolted out of her home, slamming the door behind her. Sakura jumped into her car, forgetting to buckle herself in, and tore out of her drive way and down the road to Sasuke's.

"I should have known," she repeated to herself over and over again, the feeling of dread overwhelming her as she turned down Sasuke's road, only to see that his car wasn't there. "No, no, no…"

She stepped on the gas and made her way to the nearest metro station, hoping he had taken it and she still had a chance of stopping him. She passed several lit bars and clubs, ignoring the lack of traffic, and grabbed her cell phone out of her purse; she found Naruto's number and called it, not at all surprised he didn't answer it. She reached his voicemail and knew she wouldn't be able to hide the panic in her voice.

"Naruto, please get this soon," her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. "Sasuke is gone, I'm trying to—SHIT! He's at the Narita Express…he's going to the airport!" Sakura slammed on her breaks and turned into the station's parking lot, parking beside Sasuke's car. "Please hurry, Naruto…"

Sakura hung up her cell phone and grabbed her purse, knowing she would need to show her id to get passed the main gate. She bolted out of her car and took three steps at a time, having seen Sasuke take these stairs as she was about to drive passed it; she came up to the first gate and flashed her idea, the shocked woman behind the counter waved her by and Sakura jumped over the gate, desperately hoping she wasn't too late. Her heart beat faster as each second ticked by, though her heart clenched as she saw the back of his head turn a nearby corner.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried out, reaching the bottom of the stairs and coming to halt as she saw him, hair soaking wet and a bag slung over his shoulder. "Sasuke, don't go, please."

The tears freely fell down her face when he didn't speak or turn around.

"I love you, Sasuke," she confessed, suddenly feeling beyond exhausted. "I've always loved you. You don't have to leave, I'll help you, I don't care what it is…I don't want to lose you."

Still, Sasuke didn't respond, but his head turned slightly.

Sakura dropped her head, almost in defeat. "If I'm not enough to keep you here, then at least take me with you…"

Slow, quiet footsteps could be heard walking towards her, but Sakura was already on the brink of losing control and couldn't bear seeing the rejection in his eyes. She saw his feet close to her own and only looked up when he grabbed her chin and raised it. When their eyes clashed, Sakura was mesmerized by the deep emotion he freely showed for her; he caressed her face with both of his hands and wiped the tears from her eyes. Sasuke lowered his head to hers and kissed her gently, when he pulled away, he ran a hand through her hair and rested his forehead against hers.

"Sakura," his voice was quiet and dripping with sorrow. "Thank you, for everything."

Before she could look up at him, a blinding pain erupted in the back of her head and her knees gave out from underneath her; she felt Sasuke catch her, but her vision was beginning to blacken and she couldn't see what he was doing.

"I love you," she heard him whisper into her ear before everything went silent and she succumbed to the darkness.

* * *

_I know this took a long time to upload, but wasn't working for me for the longest time. Plus, this chapter was incredibly difficult to write; not only because of the content (it's been too long since I've been touched and I forgot what it felt like), but I've been in and out of the hospital for the past month and half do to my high risk pregnancy. I'm also moving back in with my mom, so finding the time to write these chapters is getting slimmer and slimmer, but I will still try my hardest to get them up._

_Thank you all for reading and I look forward to your reviews._

_~Ell_


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